Tacoma Dealership Fired Salesman Diagnosed with Brain Tumor

SEATTLE -Titus-Will Ford, a Tacoma car dealership, violated federal law when it fired an employee immediately after he was diagnosed with a brain tumor, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit filed today.

According to the EEOC's lawsuit, Lucas Perry worked for Titus-Will Ford, Inc., when he requested a day off to have an MRI examination. When asked about the results the next day, he told his managers he had a brain tumor, and Titus-Will fired him immediately.

Such alleged conduct violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) which prohibits firing an employee due to a disability. The EEOC filed suit in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington at Tacoma (EEOC v. Titus-Will Ford, Inc., Case No. 3:18-cv-05772) after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process. The EEOC seeks monetary damages for Perry and injunctive relief, which includes training on anti-discrimination laws, posting of notices at the worksite, and compliance reporting.

"Congress passed the ADA 28 years ago to protect employees and applicants against unfounded decision-making just like this. Employees should not fear losing their jobs when an employer finds out they have a disability," EEOC Seattle Field Director Nancy Sienko said.

EEOC Senior Trial Attorney Teri Healy said, "Mr. Perry never asked for any accommodation and never needed one. It is illegal to fire an employee due to a disability or perceived disability. Titus-Will acted on its fears and stereotypes about his condition, and this is against the law."

According to its website www.tituswillford.com, Titus-Will Ford is part of the Titus-Will Automotive Group which has over 500 employees and operates eight dealerships on the I-5 corridor in Western Washington.

Eliminating barriers in hiring, including hiring practices that discriminate against people with disabilities, is one of six national priorities identified by the Commission's 2017-21 Strategic Enforcement Plan (SEP).