Prestige Care, Inc., Prestige Senior Living, LLC, and their affiliates will pay $2 million and furnish other relief to settle a disability discrimination suit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The EEOC had charged that the companies failed to provide accommodations for employees with disabilities. According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, the Vancouver, Wash.-based companies and their affiliated nursing and assisted living facilities had policies requiring employees to perform 100% of job duties without restriction, accommodation, or engaging in the interactive process. The EEOC further charged that Prestige and its affiliates discharged employees with disabilities pursuant to inflexible leave policies. Such alleged conduct violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In addition to monetary relief, the five-year consent decree settling the suit includes injunctive relief aimed at preventing future disability discrimination. Prestige agreed to retain an external equal employment opportunity monitor to review and revise its policies and procedures regarding ADA compliance and to ensure that Prestige engages in the interactive process and provides reasonable accommodations. The companies also agreed to provide training and to designate coordinators to handle disability accommodation requests and disability discrimination complaints. Eligible claimants will be notified of their right to request a reasonable accommodation when applying to work for Prestige.
