EEOC v. Bobrich Enterprises

**EEOC v. Bobrich Enterprises: Court Rules Against Workplace Harassment of Employee with Hearing Disability** This case involved Tammy Gitsham, an employee with a hearing disability who worked at Bobrich Enterprises. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) sued the company on her behalf, claiming that her workplace had become so hostile due to harassment related to her hearing disability that she was forced to quit her job. The court sided with Gitsham and the EEOC. A jury found that Bobrich Enterprises violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by allowing a hostile work environment to exist because of her hearing disability. The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld this decision and awarded $150,000 in damages to compensate Gitsham for what she endured. This ruling is important for workers because it confirms that employees with disabilities are protected from harassment and hostile treatment at work. Employers cannot ignore or allow disability-based harassment that makes the workplace so unbearable that someone feels forced to quit. The substantial damages award also sends a message that courts take these violations seriously and will hold employers financially accountable for failing to protect disabled workers from discrimination.