Judge Says UPS Discriminates Against Hearing Impaired
A federal judge ruled Thursday that UPS violates anti-discrimination laws by barring the deaf and hearing-impaired from driving parcel delivery trucks
A federal judge ruled Thursday that UPS violates anti-discrimination laws by barring the deaf and hearing-impaired from driving parcel delivery trucks.
U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson said the Atlanta-based company's practices breach the Americans with Disabilities Act, and ordered revisions in UPS policies within 30 days.
In a class-action case representing as many as 1,000 would-be drivers, Henderson said those with poor hearing should "be given the same opportunities that a hearing applicant would be given to show that they can perform the job of package-car driver safely and effectively."
The company said it was considering an appeal.
"For us, the bottom line - it's a public safety issue," UPS spokeswoman Peggy Gardner said. "It's not a discrimination issue. I can't emphasize that enough."
The U.S. Postal Service and FedEx Corp. allow some deaf drivers to operate delivery vehicles under 10,000 pounds.
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