An Arkansas car dealership is on the hook for more than $128k after it failed to accommodate a sales manager who returned to work after spine surgery.
Randall Ford in Fort Smith will pay $128,750 as part of the settlement of a disability discrimination lawsuit filed by the EEOC. The details of the case, according to a recent post on the Automotive News website:
Randall hired Doyle Martin as a used-car manager in March 2011. A little more than year later, he took medical leave to have surgery to remove a mass on his lower spine.
When he returned to work, he had trouble walking and standing. He needed a walker to maintain his balance and mobility.
Martin suggested he use a golf cart to travel long distances across the dealership and requested assistance when test driving trade-ins to assess their value, court documents said.
But the dealership refused to grant him the accommodations he sought, and instead fired a few days later. He hasn’t been able to find another job since he was let go, the EEOC said.
In addition to requiring the company to pay $128,750 in damages and back pay to the former manager, the consent decree resolving the case mandates that Randall Ford revise its ADA policy to provide a clear avenue for employees to request a reasonable accommodation. Additionally, Randall Ford will distribute its revised policy to all employees, post notice of this resolution, and provide disability training to all of its employees.
A $128k lesson in why employers need to accommodate disabled workers
