Dollar General to pay $47,500 in disability discrimination settlement

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission secured a settlement on January 18, 2026, requiring Dolgencorp, LLC, doing business as Dollar General, to pay $47,500 to resolve a disability-discrimination claim. The underlying allegation centered on a store in Muncie that failed to accommodate an applicant or employee with dyslexia during required testing and then demoted the worker after the testing process.

The agreement provides monetary relief to the worker and imposes injunctive measures on Dollar General. Those measures include training for managers and other store personnel, posting anti-discrimination notices in stores, and periodic reporting to the EEOC about the company’s compliance actions. The package is meant to address both the individual harm alleged in the complaint and wider compliance concerns tied to hiring and evaluation practices.

For retail workers and store leaders, the case highlights recurring pitfalls at the point of hire and during routine evaluations. Required testing and screening are common at stores that rely on standard assessments for placement, promotion, or disciplinary decisions. Where applicants or employees have learning disabilities such as dyslexia, employers must engage in an interactive accommodation process and consider reasonable modifications to testing methods, timing, or formats under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Failing to do so can lead not only to payouts but to court-ordered operational changes and outside monitoring.

At the store level, the settlement puts more responsibility on floor managers and HR partners to recognize accommodation requests, document interactive discussions, and offer alternatives that allow candidates to demonstrate requisite skills. It also increases the need for systematic training so shift leads and store managers understand their legal obligations and the practical ways to provide accommodations—such as extended time, oral testing, or assistive technology—without compromising safety or essential job functions.

The case also underscores reputational and morale costs when employees feel sidelined by testing or assessment processes. Demotions tied to inaccessible testing can chill the workplace, erode trust in management, and increase turnover in an industry already facing hiring and retention pressures.

For Dollar General employees and other retail employers, the settlement is a reminder to review hiring checklists, update accommodation policies, and ensure managers receive refreshers on the interactive process and reasonable accommodations. Expect increased attention from compliance teams and possible audits where reporting obligations are imposed. For workers, the outcome reinforces that accommodation requests must be taken seriously and documented, and that legal remedies remain available when processes are not accessible.