ADA: Could Your Organization Be the Next Class- Action Lawsuit
Recently, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has pursued “vigorous enforcement” of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), resulting in record-setting settlements ranging from $3.2 million to $20 million dollars. Since one ADA misstep can lead to an investigation of the employer’s entire leave practices, this often results in class-action-style lawsuits by the EEOC. Hear the perspective of an EEOC trial attorney on what red flags can lead to lawsuits, and from an ADA expert on how to avoid ADA risk.
Matt Morris

Richard Mrizek

Richard J. Mrizek is a Trial Attorney with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s Chicago District Office. With the Commission, Richard has litigated discrimination cases concerning race, national origin, sex, religion, disability, and retaliation. Richard has worked on significant class litigation, successfully obtaining an $11 million settlement for racial harassment and discrimination claims in EEOC v. Yellow Freight, a $2.75 million settlement for racial harassment and retaliation claims in EEOC. WRS, and a $10 million settlement of racial harassment and discrimination claims in EEOC v. Roadway Express. Richard successfully tried EEOC’s contempt action in EEOC v. Supervalu which resulted in the award of backpay, fees, and an extension of the consent decree. He was lead trial counsel in EEOC v. Custom Companies, in which the agency won a $2.3 million jury verdict for three women and successfully placed the defendant under a four-year injunction. In 2007, Richard received the Chair’s Excellence in Leadership Award for his work in the Custom case. Richard was an ABA Government Labor Employment Fellow from 2004-2006.
Prior to joining the EEOC, Richard worked in the Labor and Employment group of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld in Washington, D.C. Richard received a B.A. from Northwestern University and a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School.
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