Indiana Police Dept. Settles With DOJ After Rejecting HIV+ Candidate
The U.S. Department of Justice settled their lawsuit against a town in Indiana, filed this April, that denied a qualified applicant for a Clarksville Police Department position due to the individual's HIV status.
The Department of Justice clarified, “This settlement reflects the Justice Department’s firm commitment to enforcing the rights of job applicants and employees who experience unlawful discrimination based on disability.”The lawsuit alleged that the town's police department violated Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act that prohibits an employer from discriminating against qualified individuals on the basis of disability.
U.S. Attorney Zachary A. Myers, representing the Southern District of Indiana, stated, “Workers living with HIV, including those in law enforcement, deserve to be free from unlawful discrimination.
This settlement will ensure that qualified individuals who seek to serve their communities won’t be excluded as a result of unfounded stereotypes and misinformation about HIV.
