ViaQuest, LLC to Pay $175,000 for EEOC Disability Charge

CLEVELAND – Dublin, Ohio-based ViaQuest, LLC and its affiliates, ViaQuest Healthcare Central, LLC and ViaQuest Day and Employment Services, LLC will pay $175,000 and implement significant injunctive relief to resolve a disability discrimination charge filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced today.

The EEOC's investigation found that ViaQuest discriminated and retaliated against an applicant by denying her a reasonable accommodation during the hiring process and refused to employ her because of her disability.

“Employers are obligated under federal law to assess each applicant’s qualifications fairly and to provide reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities when needed,” said Karen McDonough, deputy director of the EEOC’s Philadelphia district, which includes Cleveland. “We appreciate ViaQuest’s willingness to resolve this matter and commit to robust policy and training improvements to prevent future violations.”

The company’s alleged conduct violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits employers from denying employment opportunities to or retaliating against individuals because of their disability and request for accommodation.

The matter was resolved through the EEOC’s pre-litigation conciliation process, resulting in a conciliation agreement providing $175,000 in monetary relief to the affected individual.

In addition to the monetary relief, the agreement includes comprehensive non-monetary measures to ensure ADA compliance across all three ViaQuest entities. These include revising and distributing company-wide ADA policies, implementing clear procedures for processing accommodation requests, and requiring employees to certify their understanding of these policies. The companies must also post EEOC notices and a notice regarding the resolution of this matter in visible locations for the next four and a half years.

ViaQuest will also provide annual, live, interactive ADA training for all employees and management staff. General employees will receive two hours of training on disability rights, accommodation processes, and protections from retaliation. Supervisors and human resources personnel will receive an additional four hours of in-depth training covering their responsibilities under the ADA, including the duty to engage in the interactive process and to take prompt corrective action.

For more information on disability discrimination, please visit: https://www.eeoc.gov/disability-discrimination. For more information about retaliation, please visit: https://www.eeoc.gov/retaliation.

The EEOC’s Cleveland Field Office is part of the Philadelphia District, which has jurisdiction over Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia, and parts of New Jersey and Ohio. This office also prosecutes discrimination cases from Washington, D.C., and parts of Virginia.

The EEOC is the sole federal agency authorized to investigate and litigate against businesses and other private sector employers for violations of federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. For public sector employers, the EEOC shares jurisdiction with the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division; the EEOC is responsible for investigating charges against state and local government employers before referring them to DOJ for potential litigation. The EEOC also is responsible for coordinating the federal government’s employment antidiscrimination effort. More information about the EEOC is available at www.eeoc.gov. Stay connected with the latest EEOC news by subscribing to our email updates.