The U.S.  Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) announced today it has filed a disability  discrimination lawsuit against Americold Logistics, LLC, an Atlanta-based  global provider of temperature-controlled warehousing and logistics to the food  industry.

According to the EEOC’s suit, Americold failed to accommodate the disability of Patricia Berry, an employee at Americold’s Sebree, Ky.,  facility.

Berry has chronic lumbar back pain with  radiculopathy into her legs. The EEOC said, Americold held Berry to different terms and conditions of employment and then fired her because on her disability.

Disability discrimination violates the Americans with Disability Act (ADA). The EEOC filed suit after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its conciliation process. In its suit, the agency seeks back pay as well as compensatory and  punitive damages for Berry and injunctive relief.

“The  disparate treatment of an employee based his or her disability violates the very core of the ADA,”  said EEOC Indianapolis District Office Regional Attorney Laurie Young.

The EEOC enforces federal laws  prohibiting employment discrimination. Further information about the EEOC is  available on the agency’s web site at www.eeoc.gov.