Sammamish Store Tied To Discrimination Case

SAMMAMISH, WA -- Jacksons Food, Inc. is being sued for refusing to interview a deaf applicant for a job, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The Sammamish convenience store allegedly violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by declining to provide an interpreter for an interview. Jacksons Food is based in Meriden, Idaho and operates 230 stores across six Western states.

The EEOC’s investigation claims that Nathaniel Prugh applied for a customer service position. Prugh has experience working other similar jobs and was initially selected for an interview.

But once the store's manager discovered that Prugh is deaf and would need an interpreter, the manager declined to consider Prugh's application, the EEOC reported.

The lawsuit seeks monetary damages as well as injunctive relief, such as job training on anti-discrimination laws and compliance reporting. The suit has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington.

“Denying qualified applicants jobs based on stereotypes costs society, particularly in terms of the lost talent that these individuals can contribute,” EEOC Seattle Field Director Nancy Sienko said. “Mr. Prugh was robbed of a chance to prove his abilities, and the employer was forced to place another ad, since they were having difficulty finding applicants in that area. This was a needless loss for everyone.”

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