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Paycom disputes disability claims in lawsuit over worker’s severe onion allergy
Paycom says it complied with federal disability law and legally dismissed an employee with a severe onion allergy. The worker’s lawsuit alleges the company failed to provide reasonable accommodations before firing her.
Paycom has denied violating federal disability law in a lawsuit brought by a former employee who says the company failed to accommodate her severe onion allergy and then fired her. In a court filing, the Oklahoma-based payroll company said the dismissal was legal and rejected the allegation that it violated the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The case centers on whether Paycom provided reasonable workplace accommodations for the employee’s allergy. The lawsuit alleges it did not. The claims remain disputed; the available filing summary does not describe Paycom’s specific account of the events or indicate that a court has ruled on the allegations.
The dispute puts workplace disability accommodations at issue for employees and employers in Oklahoma. Federal law requires covered employers to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified workers with disabilities unless doing so would cause undue hardship.