business

The federal government has accused a Pine City, Minn., manufacturer of violating civil rights law by requiring employees to report their use of legal prescription drugs.

In a lawsuit filed late Monday in U.S. District Court in St. Paul, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) alleged that Product Fabricators Inc. fired longtime employee Dennis Anderson of Pine City because he was taking a low dose of prescribed Vicodin for his back pain. The EEOC said the company incorrectly perceived that the narcotic made him unfit for work.

Anderson had worked at Product Fabricators between 1994 and 2007, and the company "had not raised any concerns about his performance," said Nick Pladson, a trial attorney and spokesman for the EEOC in Minneapolis.

Mark Murphy, a plant manager at Product Fabricators, which employs about 50 people at its sheet-metal fabricating plant in Pine City, said the company would not comment on the allegations.

The EEOC also alleged that Product Fabricators violated federal law by requiring all employees to report whether they were taking a prescription or over-the-counter medication. According to the EEOC, this policy is in violation of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act because it is not related to the ability of employees to do their jobs, and could force employees to disclose information about any disabilities they might have.

"We've seen more employers use policies where they're seeking information about their use of medications or other types of medical treatments that may not have any relevance in how they do their jobs," Pladson said.

The EEOC is asking the court to order the company to change its policy requiring employees to disclose their use of medication. The agency is also seeking back pay and other monetary damages on Anderson's behalf.

Chris Serres • 612-673-4308