Home Improvement Company Settles Disability Discrimination Case for $8.6 Million
Lowe’s, a giant home impovement retail company with more than 1,800 stores in the United States, recently settled a nationwide disability discrimination lawsuit for firing thousands of workers due to disability.
Discriminatory Acts
The company was accused of engaging in a pattern of discrimination against its workers with disabilities when:
- It fired workers and failed to provide reasonable accommodations for workers whose medical leaves of absence exceeded the company’s maximum leave policy
- It fired workers who had a record of disability, were regarded as ‘disabled’, or were associated with a person with a disability.
Details of Settlement
As part of the settlement, the company is expected to implement corrective measures such as:
- Revising illegal company policies on disabilities
- Providing training for disability discrimination laws
- Having a consultant to review and revise company policies
- Recording all employee requests for accommodation and keep a log of accommodations granted
California Disability Discrimination Law
In California, the Fair Employment and Housing Act prohibits disability discrimination for both mental and physical medical conditions. Employers are also required to accommodate individuals with mental and physical disabilities, with certain exceptions when the employer can show that to do so would cause undue hardship. All employers with 5 or more workers are covered by the disability discrimination law.
If you are fired due to a physical or mental condition, it’s important to immediately speak to an experienced disability discrimination attorney about your situation.
Your lawyer can evaluate the circumstances of your case and, if appropriate, can provide you with legal options available in your situation. Remedies available in a disability discrimination case can include damages, reinstatement or hiring, promotion or backpay, and changes in the employer’s policies and practices.
The lawyers of Broslavsky & Weinman, LLP have years of proven experience in disability discrimination cases. We also have experience in other types of employment disputes such as wrongful termination, sexual harassment, wage and hour violations, and breach of contract and fraud cases.
Our attorneys may be reached at (310) 575-2550, and we invite you to call us today for a free consultation – and learn how we can help you.
