The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission has sued Tennessee-based tire manufacturer Carlstar Group LLC for allegedly discriminating against employees who used prescription medications to treat their disabilities.
The federal lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee, claims Carlstar denied job opportunities to manufacturing employees at facilities in Clinton and Jackson, Tennessee, and Aiken, South Carolina, when the company learned workers were lawfully taking certain prescription medications, including narcotics and opioids.
The alleged discrimination occurred even after employees received medical clearance to perform their job duties, according to the EEOC complaint filed today.
Company failed to provide accommodations
The lawsuit also alleges Carlstar failed to consider or provide reasonable accommodations to its drug testing and substance abuse policy that would have allowed employees to work while using their prescribed medications.
The conduct violates the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibits discrimination based on disability, the EEOC said.
The agency’s lawsuit seeks monetary relief for affected workers and a court order prohibiting future discriminatory conduct against disabled individuals.
EEOC officials emphasize worker protections
“The Americans with Disabilities Act protects workers from discrimination based on disability, including discrimination based on their lawful use of prescription medications to treat their disability,” said Andrea G. Baran, regional attorney for the EEOC’s St. Louis District Office. “The ADA requires employers to consider each worker as an individual and not use blanket policies to exclude qualified workers who are able to perform their duties safely and effectively.”
The EEOC alleges the discriminatory practices have occurred since at least January 2020.
David S. Davis, director of the EEOC’s St. Louis District office, said the agency remains committed to protecting civil rights and ensuring merit-based employment opportunities for American workers, including qualified workers with disabilities.
Legal implications for employers
The case highlights potential liability for employers who maintain rigid drug testing policies without considering individual circumstances or reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities who use prescription medications.
Under the ADA, employers must engage in an interactive process to determine whether reasonable accommodations can enable employees to perform their essential job functions safely and effectively.
The EEOC’s St. Louis District Office handles discrimination charges and litigation in Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska and southern Illinois.
