BELLINGHAM, Wash. (AP) - A Washington state construction company is expected to pay $100,000 and train employees to settle a federal disability discrimination lawsuit.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced the settlement Tuesday with Diamond B Constructors Inc. and Harris Companies, The Bellingham Herald reports.
Harris Companies acquired Bellingham-based Diamond B in 2018.
The settlement money will be paid to Angela Watson, whose employment was terminated in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the commission said.
Watson was hired to work on a reconstruction project at the Marathon Anacortes Refinery, previously known as Tesoro Refinery, about 79 miles (127 kilometers) north of Seattle.
The commission found the certified pipefitter and rigger informed her direct supervisor that she has epilepsy. The supervisor and other Diamond B supervisors decided she could not safely work at heights and terminated her employment.
Watson’s epilepsy was controlled by medication and she had not asked for any accommodation, the federal agency said.
The settlement also requires the business to train workers about complying with federal anti-discrimination laws with an emphasis on the ADA, while also implementing and disseminating an ADA policy.
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