WASHINGTON, D.C. – Kristen Clarke, president and executive director of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, issued the following statement on the U.S. Department of Justice’s (“DOJ”) change in position on an Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) case currently pending before the United States Supreme Court, BNSF Railway Company v. Equal Employment Opportunities Commission. DOJ, representing the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (“EEOC”), has shifted from arguing that the ADA prohibits employers from requiring applicants to pay out-of-pocket for medical examinations as a condition of employment.
“This radical shift in position is yet another example of the current administration politicizing critical civil rights protections to the detriment of America’s workers and in favor of corporations. The EEOC is tasked with enforcing civil rights laws to prevent and combat discriminatory employment practices. However, with this change in position, DOJ is not only preventing the EEOC from upholding its mandate but is also increasing barriers to employment for Americans with disabilities. We cannot afford to have these vital protections rolled back in order to allow corporations to engage in discriminatory hiring practices.”
About the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, was formed in 1963 at the request of President John F. Kennedy to involve the private bar in providing legal services to address racial discrimination. Now in its 56th year, the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is continuing its quest to “Move America Toward Justice.” The principal mission of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law is to secure, through the rule of law, equal justice for all, particularly in the areas of criminal justice, fair housing and community development, economic justice, educational opportunities, and voting rights.
Contact
Reynolds Graves, Lawyers’ Committee, RGraves@LawyersCommittee.org, 202-662-8375
