Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Grisham Farm Products, Inc.

Court Rules Against Grisham Farm Products for Discriminatory Hiring Practices

What Happened

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission sued Grisham Farm Products after the company required job applicants to provide detailed health history information before offering them positions. This practice violated two federal laws designed to protect workers: the Americans with Disabilities Act (which prevents discrimination based on disability) and the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (which protects people from being treated differently based on family medical history). Additionally, the company failed to keep proper employment records as required by law.

What the Court Decided

The court sided completely with the EEOC. Grisham Farm Products was ordered to pay $10,000 in damages to Philip Sullivan, the affected job applicant, for the company's violations.

Why This Matters for Workers

This case reinforces that employers cannot ask about health history or disabilities before making a job offer. Companies must also maintain accurate employment records. Workers applying for jobs have the right to privacy about their medical information and cannot be denied employment based on health conditions or family medical history.