Missouri Trucking Company Sued for Refusing to Hire a Deaf Job Applicant
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) sued Missouri- based trucking company Transportation Management Group, doing business as Wilson Logistics, for violating federal law when it refused to hire a deaf job applicant because of his disability.
According to the lawsuit filed, the job applicant called Wilson Logistics seeking work as a truck driver. He possessed a commercial driver’s license, had relevant experience and had been granted an exemption from regulatory hearing requirements by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
When the applicant spoke to Wilson through a video relay service, the company’s representative told him he could not bring somebody in who does not read, write, and speak English. He further told him the company does not hire individuals who communicate through sign language.
Such alleged conduct violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits companies from refusing to hire individuals with a disability. The EEOC filed suit (EEOC v. Transportation Management Group, d/b/a Wilson Logistics, Case No. 1:24-cv-00640) in U.S. District Court for the District of Middle District of North Carolina, Greensboro Division, after first attempting to reach a pre- litigation settlement through its administrative conciliation process.
Source: EEOC