News Notes: Cirque Du Soleil Settles HIV Discrimination Charge

The EEOC announced that international entertainment troupe Cirque du Soleil will pay $600,000 to settle a charge that it fired aerial gymnast Matthew Cusick for being HIV-positive, in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The company claimed it believed his condition posed a direct threat to other performers, but the EEOC argued the decision wasn’t based on reasonable medical judgments using current information. As part of the settlement, Cirque du Soleil will appoint an equal employment opportunity officer to oversee annual employee training on bias laws, with an emphasis on HIV/disability discrimination.