In a recent report on Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) legal actions, it was noted that the agency had filed suit alleging American with Disabilities Act discrimination by an employer for the failure to hire an individual who informed his new employer that he was using Suboxone, an opioid.
Suboxone is typically prescribed to help recovering drug addicts reduce their withdrawal symptoms. The defendant in the case settled the claim for $70,000. The EEOC concluded that the company failed to engage in an individualized assessment to determine whether the applicant could perform his job while using Suboxone. The mere fact that the EEOC itself sued an employer over this issue is cause for concern.