Jewel-Osco has agreed to pay $1.95 million to settle charges filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission alleging the grocery chain denied reasonable accommodations to a group of employees based on their various disabilities.
The $1.95 million will be paid to a group of affected individuals and will be used to provide disability training for management and revise policies, according to an EEOC news release.
Mary Frances Trucco, Jewel-Osco’s director of communications and government affairs, emphasized in the news release Jewel-Osco’s commitment to supporting individuals with disabilities through an expanded partnership with the EEOC. The Itasca-based grocery chain has a long-standing practice of hiring people with a variety of disabilities, according to the news release.
As part of its broader community initiatives, the Jewel-Osco Foundation also continues to support people with disabilities through programs and organizations dedicated to empowering and improving opportunities, the news release said.
“For 35 years, the ADA has protected workers with disabilities,” EEOC Acting Chair Andrea Lucas said in the news release. “This landmark law — and the others we uphold — have empowered millions to pursue their full potential and fully participate in the American workforce. Many accommodations cost little or nothing, and resources like our own page on eeoc.gov and askjan.org make it easier for employers to get it right. We commend Jewel-Osco for reaffirming their commitment to upholding the tenets of this important law.”
