$90k settlement for ignoring Mom

Managers at a McDonald’s store in Philadelphia probably thought they were doing a good thing when they hired a mentally challenged worker. But they forgot that sometimes good intentions aren’t enough.

When you’re hiring someone in a protected class, don’t overlook the need for training other workers. You can’t just assume they’ll do the right thing by their new colleague.

And keep a vigilant eye out for problems. In this case, it looks like the managers thought their duty ended when they made the hire. According to the EEOC, they took no action to end co-workers’ harassment of a mentally challenged employee — even though the employee’s mother repeatedly asked them to do something.

As a result, the EEOC sued for disability discrimination, and the franchisee has now agreed to pay $90,000 to end the litigation.

The EEOC said co-workers called the employee names, shoved him, and once threatened him with a box cutter. He eventually quit after managers failed to check the abuse.

photo credit: kamikaze.spoon