AG Equipment Company, a Broken Arrow, Oklahoma compressor packaging manufacturer, violated federal law when it fired 10 employees for failing to receive a COVID-19 vaccination because of their religious beliefs or medical restrictions, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit filed today.
According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, in the fall of 2021, AG Equipment mandated all employees receive a COVID-19 vaccination and told workers no exceptions would be permitted for any reason. Nonetheless, 10 employees submitted written requests seeking exemptions based on their religious beliefs or medical conditions. The company refused to discuss the employees’ requests or explore possible accommodations, and fired the 10 individuals on Oct. 15, 2021, along with 77 other unvaccinated workers.
Such alleged conduct violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibit religious and disability-based discrimination. The EEOC filed suit (EEOC v. AG Equipment Company, Case No. 24-cv-00403-CDL) in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Oklahoma after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its administrative conciliation process.
Source: EEOC
Topics Lawsuits Oklahoma Manufacturing COVID-19
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