The owners of a Utah Papa John’s Pizza franchise will pay $125,000 to settle a disability discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). According to the lawsuit, the operating partner of the Papa John’s location discriminated against employee, Scott Bonn, who has the intellectual disability, Down syndrome, by firing him after learning that he required the assistance of a job coach. Prior to learning this, Mr. Bonn had been employed by that Papa John’s location for five months with no issues.
The partner’s conduct violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits employers from discriminating against qualified disabled employees based on their disability, or from failing to reasonably accommodate their disabilities. In certain circumstances, the use of a job coach is a reasonable accommodation under the ADA.
Pursuant to the terms of the settlement, in addition to paying $125,000 to Mr. Bonn, Papa John’s will review its equal employment opportunity policies, conduct training for management and human resources employees in the state of Utah, and establish a new recruitment program for individuals with disabilities in Utah.
Allegations of employment discrimination in any form are serious in nature and can be damaging to a company’s brand or image, especially in situations like this, where a productive and dedicated employee was terminated allegedly because of his intellectual disability. Many times, employees with various disabilities, such as Mr. Bonn, can become some of the most dedicated and hard-working. Thankfully there are legal options that provide recourse for any employees who may have been discriminated on this, or any other wrongful basis. If you or someone you know has been terminated from their job on grounds of alleged discrimination, or any other employment issue in the Fort Lauderdale or Miami area, it is critical that you consult with a skillful Florida attorney to ensure that your legal rights are adequately protected.
For further information on the subject of potential employment or wrongful termination claims, contact the Schulman Law Group at (954) 349-3300 or at info@www.schulaw.com.
