EEOC Sues Wendy’s for Denying Accommodations and Firing Older Manager

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed suit against Wendy’s International, LLC, accusing the chain of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act by refusing to accommodate a long-time district manager and then terminating him.

In EEOC v. Wendy’s International, LLC, Case No. 2:25-cv-01516, the commission says the manager, then in his late 50s, underwent surgeries in 2022 for carpal tunnel and cubital tunnel conditions and was cleared by his doctor in February 2023 to return to work with a temporary restriction: no lifting, pushing, or pulling more than 10 pounds. The complaint alleges Wendy’s insisted he remain on leave, conditioned his continued employment on the ability to work without restrictions, and ultimately terminated him in June 2023. The EEOC also alleges that Wendy’s treated younger managers differently in comparable situations.

The filing frames the case as part of a broader enforcement push against fast-food and hospitality employers for disability and age discrimination. For restaurant workers and managers, the complaint underscores two recurring friction points: how chains handle temporary medical restrictions that affect manual tasks like lifting and how age factors into personnel decisions at the store and district level.

Temporary work restrictions are common after wrist and elbow surgeries, and district managers frequently cover multiple stores, respond to staffing shortages, and perform hands-on tasks during peak shifts. Employers that require an all-or-nothing fitness-for-duty standard risk running afoul of the ADA by failing to consider reasonable accommodations, such as temporary reassignment of physical tasks, shift adjustments, or light-duty assignments where feasible. The EEOC alleges Wendy’s did not engage in that interactive process and instead opted to keep the manager on leave before firing him.

For workers, the case highlights the importance of medical documentation and formal accommodation requests when returning from surgery. For store leadership, it raises practical questions about cross-coverage, short-term light-duty options, and whether younger managers have been given the flexibility denied to older colleagues. The complaint’s allegation of disparate treatment based on age signals that employers must apply accommodation and leave policies consistently across age groups to limit liability under the ADEA.

The lawsuit seeks accountability and remedies, and it will put workplace accommodation practices at major chains under further scrutiny. Employers should review policies governing temporary restrictions and document interactive efforts to accommodate employees. For managers and hourly workers, the EEOC action reinforces that documented medical restrictions and timely communication about accommodations can shape the legal record if disputes arise.