EEOC Asks Judge to Sanction Wal-Mart

The federal government wants a federal judge to punish Wal-Mart Stores Inc. over claims it failed to comply with terms of a discrimination settlement involving two deaf job applicants.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said it has asked U.S. District Judge William D. Browning in Tucson, Ariz., to declare Wal-Mart in contempt of court and impose sanctions. A hearing is set May 29.

The EEOC sued Wal-Mart in 1998, claiming the company violated the Americans With Disabilities Act by failing to hire two deaf men, Jeremy Fass and William Darnell.

Despite the settlement last year, the Bentonville, Ark.-based retailer has failed to create training materials for hearing-impaired employees, has not provided disabilities training for managers and has refused to allow officials with the EEOC and the Arizona Center for Disability Law to visit its stores to verify compliance, the EEOC said.