EEOC sues bearings manufacturer Kyklos over firing of cancer survivor

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is suing a bearings manufacturer, charging it with firing an employee because of her cancer, the agency said Thursday.

Sandusky, Ohio-based Kyklos Bearing International L.L.C., a unit of the Royal Oaks, Mich.-based HHI Group Holdings L.L.C., allegedly terminated Donique Price based on her status as a cancer survivor, claiming it was because she had restrictions that limited her ability to lift and no light-duty work was available, said the EEOC.

The EEOC said this was a ruse because Ms. Price had provided Kyklos with documentation from her doctor establishing she had been cleared to work without any medical restriction.

The agency is charging the company with violating the Americans with Disabilities Act.

“Ms. Price bravely fought and won her battle against cancer, and now she is fighting for her employment rights,” said regional attorney Debra Lawrence of the EEOC's Philadelphia District Office, in a statement. “Businesses need to view employees such as Ms. Price as the strong, resilient workers they are, not as potential weak links or future financial risks.”

A company spokesman could not be reached for comment.