FedEx faces EEOC lawsuit: The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has taken legal action against FedEx, accusing the logistics giant of treating disabled workers unfairly. According to the lawsuit filed Friday in federal court in Minnesota, FedEx allegedly placed disabled transportation workers on unpaid leave or fired employees if they were not “100% cured.”
FedEx Disability Policy Dispute
The lawsuit specifically involves a national group of ramp-transport drivers who handle cargo between airport ramps and terminals. The EEOC alleges that since at least 2019, FedEx has had a policy requiring full recovery before allowing workers to return, rather than offering reasonable accommodations as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The investigation began after a complaint from a Minneapolis-based driver who claimed she was fired in 2021 due to chronic back pain. Another driver in Las Vegas, who fractured her vertebrae on the job, has reportedly been on unpaid leave since November 2022.
Retroactive payment for workers requested
Gregory Gochanour, a regional attorney for the EEOC, criticized FedEx’s “100% cure” policy, stating that it unfairly cost workers their jobs without considering individual situations. “Employers should explore reasonable accommodations rather than sidelining able workers with disabilities,” Gochanour stressed. The EEOC is seeking back pay and damages for affected employees, along with an injunction requiring FedEx to revise its policies to align with the ADA. This is not the first time FedEx has faced such allegations. In 2020, the company agreed to a $3.3 million settlement with more than 220 deaf or hard of hearing individuals who claimed they were denied jobs or accommodations. Although FedEx denied any wrongdoing, the settlement required them to provide new tools such as non-audible devices to better support employees with hearing disabilities.(With contributions from Reuters)
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