The Carlstar Group to Pay $300,000 in EEOC Disability Discrimination Lawsuit

The Carlstar Group will pay $300,000 to settle a disability discrimination lawsuit brought by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleging the company fired or denied opportunities to employees who lawfully used prescription medications for disabilities.  According to the EEOC, Carlstar took adverse action against manufacturing employees in Tennessee and South Carolina after learning they were prescribed medications such as opioids or narcotics, even when the employees had been medically cleared to perform their jobs. The agency also alleged the company failed to consider reasonable accommodations that would allow employees to continue working while using prescribed medication.  The EEOC alleged the conduct violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which requires employers to individually assess employees and provide reasonable accommodations where appropriate. In addition to the monetary settlement, Carlstar agreed to implement new accommodation policies, train supervisors and employees on ADA compliance, track accommodation requests, and report to the EEOC for five years. ​(EEOC v. The Carlstar Group, LLC, Case No. 3:25-cv-00575EJR)