The consent decree lays out a compliance playbook every HR professional should know
A chain of Dunkin' franchise operators must pay $250,000 and overhaul their HR practices after the EEOC alleged widespread disability discrimination.
The consent decree, filed on April 9, 2026, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, resolves claims brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against The Daly/Kenney Group, LLC and 15 affiliated entities that operate Dunkin' Donuts franchise restaurants. At the center of the case is a workplace practice that many employers still rely on, often without realizing it runs afoul of federal law.
The EEOC alleged that the franchise operators enforced what it called a "100% Healed Policy" – a blanket rule that prevented employees from working if they had any physical or mental restrictions. According to the agency, workers were required to show, through a doctor's note or other documentation, that they were completely free of medical limitations before they could start, return to, or continue their jobs. The EEOC alleged that employees with disabilities were placed on involuntary unpaid leave, denied accommodations, or fired outright under this policy, all in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The agency also alleged that two of the franchise entities failed to keep employee medical records separate from personnel files, another ADA requirement.
The case was brought on behalf of a class of...
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