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Oregon funeral chapel settles discrimination lawsuit

by AP

Posted on February 4, 2010 at 9:10 AM

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PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -- A Newberg funeral chapel has agreed to pay $62,500 to settle a disability discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

The agency said Wednesday that Attrell's Newberg Funeral Chapel violated federal law when it refused to let an amputee continue working as a secretary once she needed a wheelchair.

According to the suit, Attrell's fired Barbara Jackson before seeing if she could handle the tasks she had performed for almost two years. Moreover, Attrell's said having an employee in a wheelchair might make their grieving clients feel bad.

Besides paying the money, Attrell's agreed to implement anti-discrimination policies and procedures. It will provide the EEOC with periodic reports on its compliance.

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silvercookie said on February 4, 2010 at 9:46 AM

I think not only should they pay the money but they should either continue to employee her or if not then pay her salary each month until someone else does. Might make the grieving families feel bad give me a break..

silvercookie said on February 4, 2010 at 9:47 AM

I know employe her not employee her. I noticed.

lizy6922 said on February 4, 2010 at 10:01 AM

Having an employee in a wheelchair might make the clients FEEL bad?? Um, how do they think it makes HER feel that she had to have her legs amputated, and to top it off, her employer that she has worked for, for two years prior, fires her! Harsh! Glad they have to pay up--they deserve it.

captaink said on February 4, 2010 at 10:27 AM

Is this the same funeral home that refused to bury disabled individuals (except at an additional charge) and refused to handle people of color, much less bury them in an integrated cemetary?

captaink said on February 4, 2010 at 11:35 AM

My mother just died an unxpected and painful death...but wait! Now I feel bad. There is a woman in a wheelchair. ??? Don't people feel bad when they go to a funeral home already? What does a person in a wheelchair have to do with the grieving process? Give me a break will ya? They probably thought it would be cheaper to hire someone else. Wouldn't that be a first? And who would want to work there after the lawsuit, I imagine it would be quite the hostile environment. You know funeral directors, they are the last people to let you down and their business seems to be dying.

elorentzen said on February 4, 2010 at 11:41 AM

Good story KGW. silvercookie...........I suggest you use a translator.

elorentzen said on February 4, 2010 at 11:42 AM

Good ideas silvercookie. Your second comment was incoherent.

wavewatcher said on February 4, 2010 at 11:50 AM

captaink - you are so right! I am actually surprised that the awarded amount was that low as this was (seemingly) such a clear case of discrimination. In my personal experience at a funeral home, the only thing I cared about in regard to the employees was competency. I just needed someone to take me through the endless decisions that I had never considered and was ill prepared to make. They could have easily handled this task with a physical disability as long as they were compassionate and skilled at their job.