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Benefits August 31, 2011
Ford Sued by EEOC
August 31, 2011 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - Ford Motor Company, Inc. has been sued by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission for failing to provide a reasonable accommodation to a disabled employee at its Dearborn, Michigan, facility.
Reported by Rebecca Moore
According to an EEOC press release, instead of accommodating her, Ford retaliated against the employee by subjecting her to progressive discipline and ultimately firing her. The lawsuit (EEOC v. Ford Motor Company, Inc., Case No. 2:11CV13742), filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, alleges Ford violated the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) when it refused to let Jane Harris participate in its liberal telecommuting program as a reasonable accommodation for her gastro-intestinal condition.
Instead, Ford began to criticize her performance, placed her on a “performance enhancement plan,” and discharged her only months after she complained about being denied an accommodation, the EEOC said.
The agency seeks to recover monetary compensation for Harris, including back pay and compensatory damages for emotional distress, as well as punitive damages.