Spencer Gifts, a well-known retail chain operating throughout the United States and Canada, has agreed to pay $90,000 to resolve a disability discrimination lawsuit. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced the settlement, highlighting the company’s alleged violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
The lawsuit, filed by the EEOC, stemmed from an incident in Hickory, North Carolina, involving a store manager diagnosed with Marfan Syndrome. This genetic disorder, affecting connective tissue, became central to the employee’s need for workplace accommodations. According to the EEOC, Spencer Gifts was aware of the manager’s condition when, in December 2016, she informed the company of her need for knee surgery and subsequent recovery time.
Between December 7, 2016, and January 8, 2017, the employee requested several reasonable accommodations to facilitate her return to work post-surgery. These requests included the use of assistive devices such as a cane, crutches, or a walker, and the possibility of light or modified duties. Despite these requests, Spencer Gifts reportedly refused to provide any accommodations that would enable her to continue working. Ultimately, the company terminated her employment on January 14, 2017, coinciding with the exhaustion of her short-term disability benefits.
The EEOC contended that Spencer Gifts’ actions violated the ADA, which mandates employers to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities, unless it poses an undue hardship. The EEOC pursued legal action in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina after initial attempts at a pre-litigation settlement through conciliation proved unsuccessful. The case was formally titled EEOC v. Spencer Gifts, LLC.
Beyond the financial settlement for the affected employee, the resolution includes a two-year consent decree that mandates significant changes at Spencer Gifts. The company is now required to conduct annual training for its human resources personnel and managers. This training will focus on the ADA’s prohibitions against disability discrimination and the proper handling of accommodation requests. Furthermore, Spencer Gifts must implement a specific ADA policy, display anti-discrimination notices in its North Carolina stores, and establish a system for tracking and reporting accommodation requests to the EEOC.
Kara G. Haden, acting regional attorney for the EEOC’s Charlotte District, emphasized the significance of the settlement, particularly in the context of the ADA’s 30th anniversary. She urged all employers to critically examine their disability accommodation policies and practices to ensure full compliance with the ADA. The EEOC actively promotes equal opportunity in the workplace through the enforcement of federal employment discrimination laws.
