NEW YORK — A New York social service agency has agreed to a $60,000 settlement with the federal government to resolve charges the agency refused to remove confidential information about an employee's disability from a duty log, which could be accessed by other employees, and then firing her for filing a complaint.
According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Jewish Board of Family and Children Services allegedly violated the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) by firing an employee who complained that her disability medical information could be viewed by other employees on a company log.
"The EEOC remains committed to protecting employees when they bring ADA violations to the attention of their employers or the EEOC," EEOC New York District office regional attorney Jeffrey Burstein said in a statement.
"The law is clear: employers cannot fire their employees because they have filed a charge with the EEOC," added EEOC New York District director Kevin Berry. "And, if they do, the EEOC will not let them get away with it."
According to the consent decree settling the lawsuit, the Jewish Board of Family and Children's Services will also train its managers and human resource professionals regarding the ADA about their obligation to avoid retaliating against employees who complain about potential ADA violations.