EEOC Sues Presbyterian Healthcare Associates For Disability Discrimination

According to a lawsuit filed by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Presbyterian Healthcare Associates Corp.,  a private regional  medical center that operates Presbyterian Hospital and four other general hospitals, violated federal law by refusing to hire a qualified job applicant because of an impairment to his knee. As part of a training  program at a local community college Donovus Todd completed a seven-week phlebotomist  internship with Presbyterian Healthcare.  After completion of the program, Todd applied for and was offered a position with Presbyterian Healthcare as a phlebotomist, pending a health  screening exam.  Todd disclosed the knee  impairment during the health screening and provided Presbyterian Healthcare  with his related medical records.  At that time Presbyterian Healthcare rescinded the job  offer.  According to the EEOC, Todd was  fully qualified for the position and could perform its duties, but was denied  the job because Presbyterian Healthcare perceived him to be disabled as a  result of his knee injury. This type of conduct violates  the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which protects employees and  applicants from discrimination based on real or perceived disabilities.  Title I requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide qualified individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to benefit from the full range of employment-related opportunities available to others. For example, it prohibits discrimination in recruitment, hiring, promotions, training, pay, social activities, and other privileges of employment. It restricts questions that can be asked about an applicant’s disability before a job offer is made, and it requires that employers make reasonable accommodation to the known physical or mental limitations of otherwise qualified individuals with disabilities, unless it results in undue hardship.”  (www.ada.gov) Lynette A. Barnes, a regional attorney  for the EEOC said, “It is unfortunate that more  than 20 years after the enactment of the ADA, too many employers hold  impairments against applicants when those impairments don’t inhibit their  ability to perform the jobs they seek.” If you have suffered disability discrimination, please give Los Angeles Employment Attorney, Todd M. Friedman a call at 877-449-8898 for a free consultation.