The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is suing Jack In the Box for allegedly refusing to hire a deaf applicant, according to a report in the Houston Chronicle.
The government alleges that Alfonso Cruz applied for a cook's position in February of last year but was turned down because the store manager considered his deafness to be a liability, the paper reported.
Jack in the Box operates with an audible timer system that sounds different tones when the food is cooked or it has been sitting too long, an EEOC lawyer told the Chronicle. But it also has display screens that count down the time remaining.
The lawsuit was filed in federal court yesterday, according to the story.
Jack In the Box told the Chronicle that it denies the allegation and has a "long-standing policy of not tolerating discrimination of any kind."
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