Company Improperly Screened and Refused to Hire Applicants Based on Disability, Federal Agency Charged

LOUISVILLE - The Ford Motor Company's Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville, Ky., will pay up to $537,760 and furnish other relief to resolve a disability discrimination charge by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the federal agency announced today.

The EEOC's investigation found reasonable cause to believe that the Kentucky Truck Plant failed to hire applicants due to their disabilities. This also included screening out applicants based on criteria not shown to be job-related and consistent with business necessity, and failing to use the results of post-offer, pre-employment medical examination in accordance with the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Ford chose to voluntarily resolve the matter with the EEOC, without an admission of liability, to avoid an extended dispute.

The conciliation agreement provides relief to 12 individuals in addition to the person who filed a charge with the EEOC, and the EEOC retains discretion to distribute some of the funds to individuals it has yet to identify. The agreement also calls for the Kentucky Truck Plant to provide additional written guidance and training to employees involved in the pre-employment, post-conditional offer medical exam process, along with one-hour training on the ADA to the facility labor relations staff.

"Federal law protects applicants throughout the hiring process," said EEOC Indianapolis District Director Michelle Eisele. "Companies must ensure that employees involved in the hiring process understand the provisions of the ADA, including the use of post-offer, pre-employment medical exams."

The EEOC advances opportunity in the workplace by enforcing federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. More information is available at www.eeoc.gov.