EEOC Sues Yellowhouse Machinery for Disability Discrimination

OKLAHOMA CITY - Yellowhouse Machinery Co., operator of construction and heavy equipment dealerships across Texas and Oklahoma, violated federal law when it failed to provide a reasonable accommodation for an employee with a disability at its McAlester, Oklahoma dealership, ultimately forcing her to quit, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit announced today.

According to the suit, Yellowhouse employed a receptionist who suffers from debilitating chronic migraines triggered by prolonged exposure to bright light. For almost three years, she was allowed to work under dimmed overhead lighting and performed her job duties successfully and without issue. But in May 2024, the store manager abruptly replaced the existing lighting with bright LED bulbs. The receptionist submitted a doctor's note to the manager, explaining her medical need for dimmer lighting. Despite the medical justification and the employee's repeated requests, Yellowhouse refused to do anything other than move her desk a few feet - an ineffective measure which failed to alleviate her symptoms. Without an accommodation, the receptionist was ultimately forced to resign, the suit said.

"Congress passed the Americans with Disabilities Act 35 years ago to protect workers with disabilities and ensure employers provide reasonable accommodations to enable qualified disabled individuals to work and support themselves and their families," said EEOC St. Louis District Regional Attorney Andrea G. Baran. "The same protections apply regardless of whether a worker's disability is visible or hidden."

Such alleged conduct violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits employment discrimination due to disability and provide reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities, absent undue hardship. The EEOC filed suit (EEOC v. Yellowhouse Machinery Co., Case No. 6:25-cv-344-JAR) in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its administrative conciliation process.

EEOC St. Louis District Director David S. Davis said, "Employers must remain mindful of their obligation to provide reasonable accommodation to employees with disabilities, who are encouraged to contact the EEOC if they believe they've been denied a reasonable accommodation."

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

The EEOC's St. Louis District Office is responsible for addressing discrimination charges and conducting agency litigation in Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Nebraska and a portion of southern Illinois.

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 is responsible for investigating charges against state and local government employers before referring them to DOJ for potential litigation. 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. Stay connected with the latest EEOC news by subscribing to our email updates.