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Compliance October 2, 2012
Regions Bank Sued for Firing of 61-Year-Old Manager
October 2, 2012 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is suing Regions Bank for firing a 61-year-old manager because of her age and refusing to provide her with a reasonable accommodation for her disability.
Reported by Rebecca Moore
According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, Regions Bank fired the manager of a Memphis branch after she requested a reasonable accommodation for her disability, hyperthyroidism, which caused her debilitating fatigue and heightened anxiety. The EEOC said the branch manager had worked for Regions Bank’s predecessor for more than 30 years and had worked for Regions Bank since 2005.
The EEOC further alleges that Regions refused her request for reasonable accommodation and failed to engage in the interactive process to accommodate the manager, which is required under federal law. In addition, Regions treated younger managers more favorably than the branch manager.
The lawsuit asks the court to grant permanent injunctions enjoining Regions Bank from further denying reasonable accommodations to disabled individuals and engaging in any further employment practices that discriminate because of age. The EEOC is also asking the court to order Regions Bank to compensate the manager for lost back pay and liquidated damages, as well as compensatory and punitive damages.
The EEOC filed suit (Civil Action No. 2:12-cv-2855 in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee, Western Division) after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process. Denial of a reasonable accommodation to a disabled individual violates Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, and discriminating on the basis of age violates the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) of 1967.