The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has taken legal action against Talecris Plasma Resources and its parent company, Grifols, alleging disability discrimination. Talecris is accused of withdrawing a job offer from a nurse applicant following her request for reasonable accommodation for her disability, a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The nurse, having completed a drug rehabilitation program and actively participating in a treatment plan with Colorado’s Peer Assistance Services, Inc., faced denial on grounds that seemingly contradict ADA requirements.
As reported by the EEOC, it is stated that the nurse informed Talecris of her need for an adjustment to her work environment due to her alcohol and substance use disorders. The company's decision to then rescind the job offer directly countered her rights under the ADA, which mandates that employers provide reasonable accommodations for those disabilities, absent undue hardship. The company's refusal to bend existing policies to accommodate the nurse's disability, despite her ability not being impaired, has sparked this legal contest.
Mary Jo O'Neill, regional attorney for the EEOC, commented, "The ADA protects applicants and employees who request reasonable accommodations for their disabilities." She continued, "This includes individuals with substance use disorders who have completed a rehabilitation program and are not currently engaged in illegal drug use," as obtained by EEOC. Responsible for enforcing the ADA, the EEOC has taken Talecris Plasma Resources to court, seeking justice for what they consider an unlawful act of discrimination.
