LAKELAND, Fla. – A Lakeland hotel operator has agreed to pay $50,000 to resolve federal allegations that it discriminated against an employee due to a disability, creating an environment that ultimately forced the worker to resign.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced the settlement on Tuesday involving Hare Krishna Lakeland, LLC, which does business as a Motel 6. The agreement puts to rest a discrimination charge filed with the federal agency claiming the budget motel violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
According to the EEOC, the issue culminated in July 2023. The charge alleged that the facility discriminated against the employee based on their disability, resulting in a “constructive discharge”—a situation where working conditions become so intolerable that an employee feels compelled to quit.
READ: ‘I Would Have Shot Them’: Dade City Man In Stolen Truck Terrorizes Victims After Lakeland Crash
While the company agreed to pay the former worker $50,000 in back pay and compensatory damages, the three-year conciliation agreement includes several non-monetary requirements intended to prevent future violations.
The motel is required to implement specific policy changes to ensure full compliance with the ADA, including a mandate to respond to requests for reasonable accommodations in a timely manner. Additionally, the employer must provide annual ADA training to all management and non-management staff. For the next three years, the motel will be required to report any accommodation requests directly to the EEOC and must post notices encouraging employees to report discrimination.
Federal officials used the announcement to remind the hospitality industry of its legal obligations to accommodate workers.
READ: Whisky Business: Thirsty Burglar Caught Drinking Victim’s Crown Royal In Lakeland Barn
“The hotel industry often faces persistent labor shortages,” said Evangeline Hawthorne, the EEOC’s Miami District Director. “Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities can effectively fill needed jobs with or without reasonable accommodations.”
Tamra Schweiberger, director of the EEOC’s Tampa Field Office, credited the motel for cooperating with an early resolution to the matter.
“The policy changes and reporting that the company agreed to are important steps in ensuring a workplace free of discrimination,” Schweiberger said.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox
