EEOC Sues Champion Media for Disability Discrimination

RALEIGH, N.C. – North Carolina-based publishing company Champion Media, LLC violated federal employment laws when it refused to hire a deaf job applicant because of her disability and refused to provide her with a reasonable accommodation, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission charged in a lawsuit filed today.

According to the lawsuit filed today, a deaf applicant met the qualifications and applied for a job at Champion Media’s printing facility in Lumberton, North Carolina. After participating in an initial conversation over the phone and with the assistance of a video relay service, the applicant was selected for an in-person interview. The applicant requested that Champion Media provide a sign language interpreter as an accommodation for the interview. Instead of providing an interpreter, Champion Media canceled the interview and did not hire the applicant for the job, the EEOC said.

Such alleged conduct violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits companies from refusing to hire individuals with disabilities and, absent undue hardship, requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations. The EEOC filed suit (EEOC v. Champion Media, LLC d/b/a The Robesonian, Case No. 7:24-cv-00707) in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its administrative conciliation process.

“Federal law is clear that disability discrimination is illegal,” said Melinda C. Dugas, regional attorney for the EEOC’s Charlotte District Office. “The EEOC is here to make sure that employment discrimination laws are strictly observed.”

For more information on disability discrimination, please visit https://www.eeoc.gov/disability-discrimination.

The EEOC’s Charlotte District Office has jurisdiction over North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia.

The EEOC prevents and remedies unlawful employment discrimination and advances equal opportunity for all. More information is available at www.eeoc.gov. Stay connected with the latest EEOC news by subscribing to our email updates.