A federal jury in Baltimore has socked Federal Express
Corporation with a $108,000 verdict for violating the Americans
with Disabilities Act (ADA) by failing to provide a deaf employee
with a reasonable accommodation.
According to the suit—which was filed by the U.S. Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission—package handler Ronald
Lockhart, who is deaf, repeatedly requested reasonable
accommodations in the form of American Sign Language
interpreters, but FedEx allegedly failed to cooperate.
The jury found FedEx liable for punitive damages in the amount of
$100,000 for its knowing failure to accommodate Lockhart, as well
as compensatory damages of $8,000 for the loss of the
accommodation itself.
Additional Resources:
“Health and Safety: New OSHA Guide Focuses on Improving Job Safety for Hearing-Impaired Employees,” in the November 2005 issue of the California Employer Advisor
“Accommodating Applicants: Wal-Mart Revamps Procedures After Hearing-Impaired Applicants Sue; How Far Do You Have To Go?” in the March 2000 issue of the California Employer Advisor
Sample Notice to Employees Regarding Reasonable Accommodations for Employees with Disabilities, contained in our exclusive Employer Guide, “50 Secrets for Preventing Employee Lawsuits”