Now that the dust is settling over the nationwide class-action disability discrimination lawsuit Verizon settled with the EEOC,
we at the SmartHRManager blog wanted to ask HR professionals what this settlement means to their companies. To help you answer that question, take a look at the consent decree’s corporate improvement plan, which highlights what Verizon must do for the next three years to avoid the EEOC’s wrath as it pertains to this lawsuit.
Extracts from the decree (starting at page 11) say Verizon has to change its attendance plan and must implement a series of other steps, including:
- not retaliating against those who participated in the EEOC process/lawsuit, complained about the unlawful
practice at issue or asserted rights under the decree; - not charging for absences incurred for purposes of disability accommodation;
- modifying and publicizing policies about the availability of non chargeable time;
- providing live ADA training to staff with primary responsibility for administering Verizon’s attendance plans and
whose job duties include determining whether an absence is “nonchargeable”; - appointing an executive level “internal monitor” to spur the process; and
- oh and of course, paying class members up to $20 million.
