Holsum Settles EEOC Disability Discrimination Lawsuit

According to the EEOC, Holsum of Fort Wayne, Inc., a wholesale bakery with two locations in northern Indiana, will pay $50,000, amend workplace policies, and offer additional training to its employees to settle a disability discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, Holsum maintained a policy prohibiting the use of personal items in the production area. In August 2020, one of its supervisors permitted an employee to bring a walker into the area so she could walk throughout the facility. However, approximately a year later, the bakery told her she could no longer use the walker, as it violated the personal items policy. The employee said she needed the walker due to her disabilities, but Holsum refused to grant her an exception to the policy and forced her to take medical leave. A few months later, Holsum fired her because she was unable to return to work without the assistance of a walker. “The ADA prohibits an employer from forcing an employee with a disability off the job when a reasonable accommodation is available and will allow that employee to continue working,” said EEOC Regional Attorney Kenneth Bird. “When an employer refuses to consider such an accommodation, it ignores its obligation under the law.”(EEOC v. Holsum of Fort Wayne, Inc., Case No. 3:24-CV-00702-CCB-SJF)