Corpus Christi Discrimination Lawsuit

Attorneys with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (”EEOC”) announced in July 30, 2009 EEOC Press Release that a federal disability discrimination lawsuit has been filed by the federal agency against an Aransas Pass, Texas based personal loan company.  The disability bias lawsuit was filed in Corpus Christi and alleges that the company violated federal law by allegedly terminating an employee because of her relationship with her husband, who had a medical condition, and because the employer regarded her as being disabled.  See, http://www.eeoc.gov/press/7-30-09.html .  According to the EEOC Press Release, the lawsuit charges that the company refused to allow the employee to return to work unless she submitted to a medical exam that would detect viruses.  In addition, the EEOC said the request was made when the employer became aware that the employee’s husband had a medical condition related to Hepatitis C.  As stated in the EEOC Press Release, the EEOC is challenging what it has determined is a non-job-related medical examination for a loan clerk given the extremely narrow avenues for transmission of the particular form of virus.  Further, the EEOC stated in the Press Release, after the employee refused to undergo the medical exam, the company discharged her because it regarded her as disabled due simply to her relationship with her husband.  An EEOC supervisory Trial Attorney with the San Antonio field office was quoted in the Press Release as saying that “This case involves an employment decision that had nothing to do with the employee’s ability to do her job completely, effectively and safely [and] a suit like this will, we hope, serve to get the message out to employers that workers should be judged on their actual qualifications and ability rather than on speculation and misguided perceptions about their health.”

In this regard, the EEOC is a federal agency which enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination.  Further information about the EEOC is available in the federal agency’s website at www.eeoc.gov . 

Whether employment related discrimination occurs in Aransas Pass, Corpus Christi, San Antonio or elsewhere, victims of workplace discrimination may contact the EEOC and an attorney to determine if an employment discrimination lawsuit is ultimately appropriate under the particular circumstances and facts of the potential employment discrimination claim.