Labor & Employment Law Daily Wrap Up, EEOC NEWS—Three employers on the hook for $885K to resolve discrimination allegations under ADA, PWFA, (Jan 5, 2026)

By Patricia K. Ruiz, J.D.

One charge alleged the employer terminated an employee as he was awaiting release from the hospital.

The EEOC entered into settlements with three employers after alleging the employers violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA). Under the settlements, the employers separately will pay sums totaling $885,000 to the affected workers and provide injunctive relief.

Disability discrimination. Atlanta-based consumer lender 1st Financial Corporation will pay $750,000 to a class of former employees in settlement of a disability discrimination suit by the EEOC. Since 2022, the employer denied reasonable accommodations to its employees with disabilities in violation of the ADA. In one instance, a former customer service representative had multiple medical conditions contributing to heart attacks and required hospitalization. When he requested a short leave of absence until he expected to be released from the hospital, the company denied the request and terminated him.

Under the consent decree resolving the lawsuit, the employer will provide $250,000 to the former customer service representative and will establish a class fund of $500,000 to pay other harmed claimants. It will also update its employment policies, provide specialized training to managers, supervisors, and human resources personnel who receive and handle disability accommodation requests, and post a notice in the workplace informing employees of the settlement and of their right to be free from workplace discrimination. The employer will provide the EEOC with periodic reports regarding requests for disability accommodations and how such requests were handled.

Pregnancy discrimination. The EEOC announced settlements in two discrimination charges on behalf of pregnant women. The first charge claimed Brandt Information Services, Inc., a Florida technological solutions company, terminated a pregnant employee after she requested two and a half months of unpaid leave as a reasonable accommodation under the PWFA. Under the settlement, Brandt will pay the former employee $100,000 and implement a new policy allowing employees to request leave as a reasonable accommodation under the PWFA, even if they do not qualify for leave under the FMLA.

The second charge claimed that Health and Behavior Dimensions, Inc., (HBD), a behavioral health provider in Florida, denied a pregnant employee an accommodation under the PWFA by refusing to engage in the required interactive process, instead firing her on the same day she requested an accommodation. Under the settlement, HBD will pay $35,000 to the former employee, provide equal employment opportunity training to all employees, and report to the EEOC annually on discrimination complaints received by the organization.

Companies: 1st Financial Corporation; Brandt Information Services, Inc.; Health and Behavior Dimensions, Inc.

News: AgencyNews Discrimination DisabilityDiscrimination RaceDiscrimination RemediesDamages