The dispute centers on the Edgewood, Maryland-based manufacturer’s decision to demote a team lead in the fall of 2023 to avoid providing a reasonable accommodation. The employee, who suffered complete hearing loss in her left ear, requested personal protective equipment to shield her residual hearing from manufacturing noise.
Instead of providing the equipment, the employer demoted the worker and assigned her to a quieter area in December 2023. The lawsuit states the demotion resulted in a reduction in pay.
The EEOC filed suit in August 2024 in U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland after failing to reach a pre-litigation settlement through administrative conciliation. The agency charged that the demotion violated the Americans with Disabilities Act.
EEOC Philadelphia District Director Jaime Williamson said the employer violated the ADA by using its leverage to deal out a career setback instead of a reasonable accommodation.
Regional attorney Debra Lawrence stated that demoting an employee to avoid providing a reasonable accommodation does not discharge the employer’s obligation and merely compounds the unlawful behavior.