EEOC files lawsuit against DHL over firing of metro Atlanta worker with sickle cell disease
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has filed a lawsuit against DHL Supply Chain, accusing the company of discriminating against a worker with a disability at a metro Atlanta warehouse.
According to the lawsuit, the company denied a reasonable accommodation to a temporary employee at its Forest Park facility and later fired her.
The EEOC says the worker has sickle cell disorder, a condition that can be triggered by extreme cold. Her job sometimes required working inside a cooler. When a supervisor assigned her to that area full-time in January 2023, she asked to either spend less time in the cooler or be reassigned to other available roles that did not require cold exposure.
The agency says the company denied her request, stating it does not accommodate medical restrictions, and then terminated her shortly afterward. The EEOC also alleges the company later hired other temporary workers into full-time roles but did not offer her a permanent position.
Federal law under the Americans with Disabilities Act requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to workers with disabilities unless doing so would cause significant difficulty or expense.
"In this case, Exel could have easily assigned the employee to work in the other roles that did not require going into the cooler or limited her time working in the cooler. Instead, the company stated unequivocally that it does not accommodate restrictions, and not only fired her, but also denied her permanent employment," said Marcus G. Keegan, regional attorney for the EEOC's Atlanta District Office in a statement. "That was unlawful, and the EEOC will continue to hold employers accountable for conduct."
The EEOC filed the lawsuit in federal court in Atlanta after attempts to reach a settlement failed. The agency is seeking back pay, damages and policy changes to prevent future discrimination.
In a statement obtained by CBS News Atlanta, a DHL spokesperson said, "DHL Supply Chain is committed to providing a safe, respectful, and equitable workplace. The company takes claims of this nature seriously and will investigate these allegations."
