EEOC v. Rockwell International Corp.

EEOC v. Rockwell International Corp. - Plain English Summary

What Happened

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) sued Rockwell International Corporation, alleging that the company discriminated against job applicants by using nerve conduction tests to reject them without providing accommodations for disabilities. Nerve conduction tests measure electrical activity in nerves and muscles, but the EEOC argued this testing violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

What the Court Decided

The court agreed with the EEOC on a key point: it ruled that Cambridge Industries, which became Rockwell's successor company, could be held legally responsible for Rockwell's discriminatory hiring practices. This meant Cambridge Industries inherited liability for the alleged ADA violations.

Why This Matters for Workers

This ruling protects disabled job seekers in two important ways. First, it shows that companies cannot use certain medical tests as automatic reasons to reject applicants without considering accommodations. Second, when companies merge or are bought by other companies, the new owner remains responsible for previous discrimination. This means workers have recourse against the current employer, even if violations occurred under the old company's ownership.