Papa Johns will pay $175,000 to settle a lawsuit accusing the franchisor of not accommodating and later firing a visually impaired employee.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sued Papa Johns in March, claiming the pizza franchisor illegally fired a blind man who requested to keep his service dog on site, “away from both customers and food preparation activities during his shifts,” according to a press release from the EEOC. The commission claims the termination violates the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Papa Johns will pay $175,000 to the employee in question, Michael Barnes. The lawsuit was settled November 20. The brand will also train its employees on the ADA and review its employment policies. The commission will monitor complaints of “discrimination or retaliation,” as part of the settlement.
According to the lawsuit, Barnes, who is legally blind, applied for a job at Papa Johns in Athens, Georgia, in February 2020 after learning that the company hires people who have vision impairments.
He reportedly told the store manager about his reliance on his guide dog, Indie, and requested accommodation to keep the dog on site. The manager reportedly told Barnes his disability wouldn’t be a problem, according to the suit.
He was hired at the end of February 2020, but because of the pandemic, the manager told Barnes he could start work once business began picking up again, and contacted him in May to reapply for the position.
The company hired Barnes, but fired him before he worked his first shift. Papa Johns reportedly denied the request in June to keep Indie on the premises due to unspecified health concerns, according to the lawsuit.
“The parties agreed to resolve the lawsuit to avoid further litigation and expense,” a Papa Johns spokesperson told Franchise Times. “Papa Johns is proud to be a people first company where everyone belongs. As an employer, we are committed to achieving equal opportunity and maintaining a diverse and inclusive culture for all of our team members, including those with disabilities.”
The EEOC did not provide additional comment.
The commission has previously filed similar suits, including one against a Papa Johns franchisee. The franchisee paid $125,000 in 2017 for allegedly discriminating against an employee who had Down syndrome. The employee, Scott Bonn, had a job coach to help him during his shifts for about five months before he was fired after an operating partner witnessed the job coach assisting Bonn. The operating partner reportedly told management to fire Bonn, according to the lawsuit.
EEOC lawsuits were up 55 percent for the year ending September 30, 2023. Disability discrimination suits made up 48 of the 144 lawsuits filed, according to a report from Law.com.