The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced today that it has reached a $60,000 settlement with Walmart after the agency alleged that the retailer unlawfully revoked disability accommodations for a longtime employee at its Farmingdale, New York supercenter — and then fired her when the lack of support created predictable confusion on the job.
According to the EEOC, the employee had thrived in her role since 2017 with simple accommodations that helped her navigate daily assignments despite hearing, speech, and cognitive impairments. Her performance reviews described her as dedicated and valued. That stability evaporated in 2020 when new managers abruptly withdrew those accommodations, leaving her without the tools she needed to understand her tasks. The resulting miscommunication was labeled “insubordination,” and Walmart terminated her.
The EEOC argued that both the failure to accommodate and the firing itself violated the Americans with Disabilities Act. Under the consent decree, Walmart will pay monetary relief, train managers and HR personnel on ADA compliance, report to the EEOC on its accommodation practices, and post notices informing employees of their rights.
The agency emphasized that employers cannot sidestep the ADA by withdrawing accommodations that have already proven effective — nor can they punish workers for the consequences of that withdrawal.
And let this serve as areminder to employers everywhere: the ADA isn’t a suggestion, and the EEOC doesn’t do “optional.”
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