BROKEN ARROW –
A G Equipment Company will pay $4.25 million to settle a federal lawsuit that claims the company illegally fired workers who sought religious or medical exemptions from its COVID-19 vaccine mandate.
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced the settlement Monday, saying the Broken Arrow-based compressor packaging manufacturer violated federal anti-discrimination laws when it terminated employees who did not provide proof of vaccination in October 2021.
The settlement covers 43 workers and includes additional requirements aimed at preventing future discrimination based on religion or disability.
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EEOC says workers were denied accommodations
According to the EEOC, A G Equipment required all employees to receive a COVID-19 vaccination in the fall of 2021 and told workers that no exemptions would be allowed for any reason.
Several employees requested religious exemptions, according to the lawsuit. One employee also submitted a doctor’s note requesting a medical exemption because of a health condition.
The EEOC says the company refused to discuss the requests and fired all workers who did not provide proof of vaccination on Oct. 15, 2021, including those seeking accommodations.
Federal officials call actions unlawful
Patrick J. Holman, a trial attorney for the EEOC’s Oklahoma City Area Office, said the company failed to consider whether accommodations could have been made.
“When these workers asked for a simple religious accommodation, the company didn’t pause to listen or even consider the impact,” Holman said. “It fired every one of them outright — without a conversation and without any real inquiry into whether granting an accommodation would have caused the business any hardship at all. This is unlawful as well as unfair.”
Settlement includes policy changes and training
The EEOC said the three-year consent decree requires A G Equipment to provide anti-discrimination training for managers and notify employees about their rights to request reasonable accommodations for religion or disability.
The company also must report future accommodation requests to the EEOC as part of the agreement.
A G Equipment Responds
“A G Equipment has resolved a matter with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission involving former employees.
We have taken meaningful steps to strengthen our workplace, policies, and culture. Those steps include adding an employee hotline, implementing a behavior-based safety program, establishing more structured pay practices, and building a leadership team grounded in accountability, communication, and respect. We are committed to a workplace where employees are heard, treated fairly, and supported in doing their best work.
Our focus remains on supporting our employees, serving our customers, and moving the company forward.”
