Damar Services to pay $65,000 in EEOC disability discrimination settlement

Damar Services, Inc., an Indianapolis-based residential services provider for individuals with developmental disabilities, has agreed to pay $65,000 to settle a disability discrimination lawsuit. The suit was brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

The EEOC alleged that the company utilized hiring standards that screened out applicants with hearing and vision disabilities and made prohibited medical inquiries. Specifically, the lawsuit claimed that a qualified housekeeper applicant was rejected after a phone interview in March 2023 because he was deaf, despite his ability to perform the role with reasonable accommodation.

Under the terms of a two-year consent decree, Damar Services will provide the monetary relief and implement updated written policies and procedures to remove vision- and hearing-related requirements that violate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).