Ollie’s Bargain Outlet sued by EEOC for disability discrimination

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has filed a federal lawsuit against Ollie’s Bargain Outlet, alleging the retailer violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Civil Rights Act of 1991.

The lawsuit claims that in May 2025, the company refused to hire a profoundly deaf applicant for several warehouse positions at its distribution center in Lancaster, Texas. Despite the applicant having several years of comparable warehouse experience and the ability to perform essential job functions, the EEOC alleges Ollie’s failed to interview her.

A central component of the complaint is a physical qualification standard used by the company that required workers to have ‘the ability to hear regularly.’ The EEOC asserts this requirement intentionally screens out deaf and hearing-impaired individuals in violation of federal law.