EEOC Files Lawsuits Against UPS and Trucking Company for Disability Discrimination
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has filed a lawsuit against United Parcel Service (UPS), alleging disability discrimination for refusing to hire deaf or hearing-impaired individuals as drivers. The EEOC claims that the Department of Transportation (DOT) has authorized the employment of these individuals through a program that exempts them from a hearing test, using alternative criteria to ensure driver safety. UPS has stated that it will modify driver training for those who are deaf or hard of hearing and will begin accepting exemptions to the DOT hearing standard for its drivers in January 2024. The EEOC filed the lawsuit under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) after failing to reach a settlement with UPS.