Two requests ignored, then a swift termination — HR leaders, take note
Krispy Kreme is being sued by a former driver who says the company ignored his disability accommodation requests — twice — then fired him.
Tyshawn Robinson, a former Route Delivery Driver at Krispy Kreme's Raleigh, North Carolina location, has filed a federal lawsuit alleging the doughnut chain failed to accommodate a heart condition, refused to engage in any meaningful dialogue about his needs, and ultimately terminated him in retaliation for asking.
The case, Robinson v. Krispy Kreme Doughnut Corporation (Case No. 5:26-cv-00160-BO, E.D.N.C.), was filed on March 13, 2026. No determination has been made on the merits, and the claims remain unproven.
According to court filings, Robinson underwent heart surgery in 2020. The aftereffects, he says, limit his ability to walk, stand, lift, bend, reach, and work — but did not prevent him from performing the essential functions of his job. What he needed was a schedule adjustment: a four-day work week with two consecutive days off instead of five straight days.
He first raised the issue on or about August 10, 2024, directing his request to Jean Hawkins, his direct supervisor. Hawkins, the filing states, had authority over scheduling, hiring, firing, and discipline. Despite that authority, Robinson alleges nothing changed. No conversation about alternatives. No assessment of whether the request would strain operations. No documentation of any kind. Hawkins...
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