Los Alamos Lab Contractor to Pay $2.8 Million Over Denied Religious Accommodations
Triad National Security, LLC, the company that manages Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, agreed on September 29 to pay $2.8 million to resolve federal charges that it denied employees religious and disability accommodations to its COVID 19 vaccine and testing policy since at least 2021, then retaliated against workers who requested them. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said its investigation found reasonable cause to believe the company violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Triad resolved the charges without admitting wrongdoing.
Under the two year settlement, Triad must provide back pay and compensatory damages to the affected employees and train its human resources staff on religious and disability accommodation requirements. EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas said the case is a reminder that religious and disability accommodations "are not optional, they are protected by civil rights laws."
