EEOC Sues Buc-ee’s, Ltd. for Disability Discrimination
Federal lawsuit says travel center refused reasonable accommodation for cashier with myasthenia gravis, then fired him
AUSTIN, Texas / May 26, 2026 — Buc-ee’s, Ltd., a travel center retailer with locations throughout Texas and in 10 other states, violated federal law when it denied a disabled employee reasonable accommodations and subsequently terminated him, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit announced today.
According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, a Buc-ee’s cashier in Bastrop, Texas requested a reasonable accommodation in October 2024 for physician-imposed restrictions related to his disability, myasthenia gravis, a chronic neuromuscular condition. Among the accommodations he requested was to have seating available at his workstation so that he could avoid standing continuously for more than 15 minutes at a time and regain his stamina after standing. But Buc-ee’s denied the cashier’s request, requiring that he stand continuously, and eventually the company fired him after he was unable to return to work due to denial of his accommodation request, the EEOC charged.
“All too often, employers run afoul of their duty under federal law to provide reasonable accommodations because of inflexible thinking, unwarranted assumptions, and failure to seek technical assistance that is available, often at little or no cost,” said acting EEOC Dallas Regional Attorney Ronald L. Phillips. “Compliance with disability law begins with having the right mindset – a genuine desire to help your workers, listening to their concerns, and being open to new ideas and technical assistance are keys to avoiding liability.”
The type of conduct alleged in the EEOC’s complaint violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability and requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations for workers’ disabilities unless doing so would cause an undue hardship on the business. The EEOC filed suit (EEOC v. Buc-ee’s, Ltd., Case No. 1:26-CV-0139) in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, Austin Division after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its administrative conciliation process.
“Employers must understand that disability accommodations are not optional suggestions; they are legal obligations.” said EEOC San Antonio Field Office Director Norma Guzman. “When employees come forward asking for support that allows them to do their jobs, employers must act diligently and in good faith. Rejecting those requests without legal justification doesn’t just break the law, it harms workers’ economic security and ultimately damages the employers themselves through loss of experienced workers and reduction of employee morale and productivity.”
For more information on disability discrimination, please visit https://www.eeoc.gov/disability-discrimination.
The EEOC’s Dallas District Office has jurisdiction over a substantial part of Texas and parts of southern New Mexico.
The EEOC is the sole federal agency authorized to investigate and litigate against businesses and other private sector employers for violations of federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. For public sector employers, the EEOC shares jurisdiction with the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. The EEOC also is responsible for coordinating the federal government’s employment antidiscrimination effort. More information about the EEOC is available at www.eeoc.gov.
Source: U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC.gov)
