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Sam’s Club and parent company Walmart will pay $60,000 to end a federal disability discrimination lawsuit after a Georgia worker claimed she was denied accommodations following a car accident and later fired.

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced the deal Thursday, finalizing a consent decree that closes the case but requires Sam’s Club to take corrective action.

Training and Monitoring Requirements

Under the agreement, Sam’s East Inc. and Walmart Inc. must conduct two annual training programs for managers, supervisors, and HR staff at the Douglasville, Georgia, Sam’s Club where the worker, Patrice Campbell Joseph, was employed.

The training will emphasize obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and clarify that an employee’s eligibility for accommodation does not depend on how the disability arose.

The companies are also ordered to:

• Provide periodic reports to the EEOC on any future denials of accommodation at the Douglasville store.

• Post workplace notices reminding staff of their ADA rights.

Neither company admitted wrongdoing in the settlement.

EEOC Praises Outcome

Marcus G. Keegan, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Atlanta District, said the settlement ensures Sam’s Club will take steps to prevent future violations.

“With few exceptions, the source of a disabling condition is not relevant to whether an employee is entitled to an accommodation,” Keegan said.

Darrell Graham, district director of the EEOC’s Atlanta office, added:
“Employers are obligated to reasonably accommodate employees with disabilities rather than fire them. The EEOC is committed to ensuring that Americans with disabilities have equal access to employment.”

The Worker’s Claim

The EEOC alleged that Joseph, after taking medical leave for accident-related injuries in June 2022, was barred from resuming work with restrictions—even though she had successfully completed a shift with accommodations.

Instead, Sam’s Club allegedly told her she could not return until she could perform her job without restrictions. When Joseph requested additional leave, the company refused, citing her injury as non-work-related, and ultimately terminated her employment.

Legal Teams

The EEOC is represented by Marcus Keegan, Lakisha Duckett Zimbabwe, Robyn M. Flegal, and Fahad A. Khan of the Atlanta office.

Sam’s East and Walmart are represented by Terri R. Stewart, Myra K. Creighton, David P. Lerner, and Matthew T. Sharon of Fisher & Phillips LLP.