EEOC Sues Optima Care Fountains for Disability Discrimination

SECAUCUS, N.J. - Optima Care Secaucus, LLC, doing business as Optima Care Fountains, owner and operator of a skilled nursing home and rehabilitation facility, violated federal law when it revoked a certified nursing assistant's reasonable accommodations without reason and then fired her based on her disability, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) charged in a lawsuit announced today.

According to the EEOC'S lawsuit, Optima Care accommodated the employee's musculoskeletal impairments for almost seven years without any problems or performance issues. However, in December 2024, when the employee presented updated medical documentation seeking to renew her previously granted accommodations, Optima Care removed her from the schedule and terminated her employment.

This alleged conduct violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits disability discrimination and requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities unless it would cause undue hardship. The EEOC filed suit (EEOC v. Optima Care Secaucus, LLC d/b/a Optima Care Fountains, Case No. 2:26-cv-12823) in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey after first attempting to reach a pre-litigation settlement through its administrative conciliation process.

"'No restrictions' policies preclude consideration of reasonable accommodations and deny the opportunity for any individualized, interactive process to take place between employer and employee," said Kimberly Cruz, regional attorney for the EEOC's New York District. "Under the ADA, if an employee can perform the essential functions of the job with reasonable accommodation, the employer must provide it unless doing so causes undue hardship."

Arlean Nieto, acting director of the EEOC's New York District, said, "The EEOC remains dedicated to upholding the ADA and ensuring that individuals with disabilities receive the fair and equal employment opportunities promised under federal law."

For more information on disability discrimination, please visit https://www.eeoc.gov/disability-discrimination .

The lawsuit was initiated by the EEOC's Newark Area Office, one of four component offices of the EEOC's New York District Office. The New York District Office has jurisdiction over Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, northern New Jersey, Rhode Island and Vermont.

The EEOC is the sole federal agency authorized to investigate and litigate against businesses and other private sector employers for violations of federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination. For public sector employers, the EEOC shares jurisdiction with the Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division. The EEOC is also responsible for coordinating the federal government's employment antidiscrimination effort. More information about the EEOC is available at www.eeoc.gov .