Company with local dealerships to pay $65,000 in discrimination lawsuit

June 08--A commercial truck and trailer dealership with locations in Western New York has agreed to pay $65,000 and provide other relief to settle a disability discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Regional International Corporation, according to the lawsuit, fired a truck parts delivery driver after he requested leave for hip replacement surgery to treat hip osteoarthritis.

Despite being given a performance rating of exceptional and noted for not having received any complaints from customers, the driver was told by a supervisor he was being fired as a result of customer complaints, according to the lawsuit.

The supervisor informed the EEOC during its investigation that disabled people could not work for the company because they would be unable to get the work done, the lawsuit claimed.

The EEOC filed suit in U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York after attempting to reach a prelitigation settlement through a conciliation process.

U.S. District Court Judge Elizabeth A. Wolford Wednesday entered a consent decree resolving the case.

In addition to a $65,000 award for lost wages and other damages, the three-year consent decree includes steps to prevent disability discrimination from occurring at the company in the future.

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