A New Jersey drug manufacturer has agreed to pay $116,666 to resolve a discrimination charge filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The complaint alleged that the company, Novadoz Pharmaceuticals, allowed employees from India to work remotely for personal reasons while denying the same flexibility to a U.S. employee, instead forcing her to take leave.
The EEOC’s 2025 charge claimed the company violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by making remote work decisions based on national origin. The agency also alleged retaliation, stating the company pushed the employee out of her job as part of the discrimination.
The settlement, reached through EEOC’s pre-litigation conciliation process, includes a commitment from Novadoz and its affiliate, MSN Pharmaceuticals LLC, to revise anti-discrimination policies, update complaint procedures, and conduct training. The firms must also report to the EEOC for two years on compliance.
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Arlean Nieto, acting director of EEOC’s New York district, emphasized that employers cannot base remote work decisions on race or national origin. She noted that forcing an employee with a disability to take leave, when remote work could serve as a reasonable accommodation, is unlawful.
Remote work has gained broader acceptance as a reasonable accommodation under the ADA, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated its adoption. However, not all remote arrangements qualify, and temporary pandemic-era policies do not automatically extend to permanent accommodations. The EEOC has warned against blanket remote work bans, advising that each case must be evaluated individually.
This case follows a similar settlement in April, where FedEx agreed to pay $280,000 after the EEOC claimed the company revoked telework accommodations for dispatchers without justifying in-office requirements.
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