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Staffing firm to pay $35,000 in EEOC settlement

August 18, 2010

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission reported that Axiom Staffing Group of Virginia Inc. will pay $35,000 to settle a disability discrimination lawsuit.

According to the commission, the company refused to place Deborah Reynolds through its Hagerstown MD office because of her back impairment even though she had years of experience performing clerical and customer service duties.

In its response, Axiom said "Axiom Staffing Group of Virginia, Inc. (ASGV) has resolved a lawsuit filed against it by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in September 2009. The lawsuit alleged that in June 2006, ASGV refused to hire an applicant at the company's Hagerstown MD branch office because of the applicant's back impairment.  

"The lawsuit was filed by the EEOC more than three and a half years after ASGV allegedly received the job application. By all accounts, Ms. Reynolds did not provide a physician's note of her work capabilities or job accommodations after she had voluntarily disclosed a history of problems with her back.

"The lawsuit was resolved without any admission or finding or liability or wrongdoing by ASGV. As part of the resolution, ASGV agreed to increase training of its hiring personnel specific to the Americans with Disabilities Act, and agreed to continue posting anti-discrimination notices in its two branch offices -- Martinsburg WV and Winchester VA. ASGV has a zero tolerance policy towards discrimination of any kind and is pleased to have resolved the lawsuit on the terms agreed upon with the EEOC."