WACO, Texas (KXXV) — Heart of Texas Goodwill Industries, Inc., a nonprofit retailer based in Texas, will pay $75,000 and provide additional relief to resolve a disability discrimination lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency announced this week.
According to the EEOC’s lawsuit, the organization refused to consider a deaf applicant for a production team member role at its Killeen location. A store manager allegedly told the applicant she was ineligible for the position because she could not hear or speak—requirements the manager claimed were necessary for the job.
The applicant informed the manager that she had previously held the same position at another Goodwill store and could use a cell phone to communicate if needed. Despite being told that human resources would follow up, no contact was made, and she was not hired.
The EEOC argued that this conduct violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits discrimination based on disability and requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations unless doing so presents an undue hardship. After failing to resolve the issue through its conciliation process, the EEOC filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, Waco Division (Civil Action No. 6:24-cv-00498).
Under a three-year consent decree approved by U.S. District Judge Derek T. Gilliland on April 9, 2025, Goodwill will revise its ADA policies, offer training to HR and recruiting staff, and ensure applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing can select a preferred method of communication—including sign language interpretation—during the hiring process.
The case underscores a striking contradiction: a nonprofit whose mission includes vocational training found to be discriminating in its own hiring practices.
EEOC trial attorney Adriana Rodriguez said, “The resolution of this case includes an important measure that requires Heart of Texas Goodwill to inform applicants and employees of their rights under the ADA, including the reasonable accommodation of sign language interpretation when needed.”
