Logistics company to pay $400K to settle claim that worker was fired because of cancer

An international freight shipping and logistics company has agreed to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars to settle a disability discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

On August 13, the EEOC announced that Pilot Air Freight, LLC will pay $400,000 to former manager Thomas Hunt to settle a suit brought due to the company’s alleged violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

According to the EEOC, in early June 2019, Thomas Hunt informed his manager that he needed to request leave to see his doctor about cancer biopsy results. Hunt was terminated ten days later.

“Pilot claimed that Hunt was laid off because he had less tenure than other employees and his position was eliminated. However, in the months leading up to and following Hunt’s discharge, Pilot hired several employees who were not discharged based on tenure and hired an employee in a position very similar to the one that Hunt previously held, and with a higher salary,” the EEOC stated.

In addition to paying the monetary damages to Hunt, Pilot Air Freight has also agreed to train its employees on the ADA, to maintain certain anti-discrimination policies, to post an employee notice, and to allow the EEOC to monitor complaints of disability discrimination

“Employees with disabilities should be supported—not cast aside,” said Marcus G. Keegan, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Atlanta District Office. “We are glad Pilot has agreed to training its employees and we are hopeful that no other Pilot employees will go through the discrimination Mr. Hunt faced.”

“This consent decree demonstrates the Commission’s unwavering commitment to making sure all employees, regardless of their disability status, have an equal opportunity to enjoy the privileges and benefits of employment,” said Darrell Graham, district director of the EEOC’s Atlanta office.

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