Piedmont Cheerwine Bottling Co. has agreed to settle a federal lawsuit after the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission accused the company’s Colfax facility of refusing to permanently hire a woman because she has multiple sclerosis. The case grew out of a 2023 hiring and medical-exam dispute in which the worker was told to complete an early post-offer physical, obtained a doctor’s clearance, and was later placed on leave and then dismissed. The settlement wraps up the federal claims and requires both a payout to the worker and changes to company policies.
The EEOC filed the lawsuit in September 2025 on behalf of Denise Robinson, alleging that she interviewed for a store merchandiser job in February 2023, started work about two weeks later, and was put on unpaid leave following a March 2023 medical exam. The agency said Robinson satisfied the position’s physical demands but was discharged after Piedmont rejected a physician’s note clearing her to work, and it sought monetary and injunctive relief, according to a press release from the EEOC.
Both sides filed a consent decree last Thursday to resolve the suit, according to The Charlotte Observer. Citing court records, the paper reports that Robinson worked for nearly six weeks before the company ordered an earlier-than-usual exam, which documented right-hip restrictions and gait abnormalities. The Observer notes that the consent decree ends the lawsuit and commits the bottler to steps meant to head off similar conflicts in the future.
Legal outlet Law360 also covered the resolution and identifies the case as EEOC v. Piedmont Cheerwine Bottling Company, No. 1:25-cv-00821, in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina. According to the filings submitted this month, the deal settles the EEOC’s claims that Piedmont required a probationary employee to undergo an impermissible medical exam and then fired her, highlighting how post-offer testing and the handling of medical clearances can expose employers to ADA liability when used inconsistently.
What the Settlement Requires
As detailed by The Charlotte Observer, the consent decree directs Piedmont to pay Robinson $36,000 for lost wages and damages and to issue a neutral job reference confirming that she met performance expectations. The agreement also requires the company to revise its written policies to explicitly bar disability discrimination and to prohibit medical exams that violate the Americans with Disabilities Act. Under the decree, employees with disabilities must be allowed to request reasonable accommodations, and warehouse leaders are required to complete annual training on ADA rules and the company’s accommodation procedures.
About Cheerwine
Cheerwine is a long-running cherry soda brand created in Salisbury and owned by Carolina Beverage Corporation, which also owns the Piedmont Cheerwine Bottling operation. The company outlines its history and business profile on the official Cheerwine website.
Why It Matters
The settlement underscores how tightly federal law limits employer medical testing and reinforces the duty to consider reasonable accommodations under the ADA, particularly when probationary workers are singled out for earlier exams. For additional guidance on disability-discrimination rules and employer obligations, see the resources provided by the EEOC.
