EEOC Sues Hunt Forest Products for Disability Discrimination
Federal agency charges wood products manufacturer for firing employee because of his disability
ALEXANDRIA, La. / September 25, 2026 — Hunt Forest Products, L.L.C., a Ruston, Louisiana-based wood products manufacturing company, violated federal law when it terminated a laborer’s employment after learning he had a seizure while not at work, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) alleged in a lawsuit announced today.
According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, Hunt Forest Products required the worker to undergo an examination because of a seizure he had in May 2023. The examining neurologist recommended that the worker refrain from driving or operating heavy machinery for six months. Although the worker’s duties did not involve these restricted tasks, and the worker was able to continue performing his job safely, Hunt Forest Products terminated him because of the restrictions.
“Federal law requires employers to engage in an interactive process to determine whether an employee’s specific circumstances pose a threat that cannot be eliminated with reasonable accommodation,” said Jacqueline Barber, a senior trial attorney in the EEOC’s New Orleans Field Office. “Employers must base these assessments on facts, not assumptions or stereotypes.”
Such alleged conduct violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits employers from discharging an employee because of their disability. The EEOC filed suit (EEOC v. Hunt Forest Products, L.L.C., Case No. 1:26-cv-03770) in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process.
Michael Kirkland, director of the EEOC’s New Orleans Field Office, said, “It’s against federal law to fire an employee because of doctor-imposed restrictions that do not affect job performance. The EEOC will act when employers disregard the ADA.”
For more information about religious discrimination, please visit https://www.eeoc.gov/disability-discrimination.
The EEOC’s Houston District Office’s jurisdiction includes southeast Texas and Louisiana.
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)
