The EEOC filed a lawsuit against Tech Mahindra, a large Indian IT company, alleging that the company discriminated against a deaf applicant during the hiring process. The applicant, Robert Rademacher, applied for a job as an automation engineer with Tech Mahindra in November 2022. He interviewed with the company and was told that he was a strong candidate for the job. However, Tech Mahindra ultimately decided not to hire Rademacher because of his deafness.

The EEOC alleges that Tech Mahindra violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by discriminating against Rademacher on the basis of his disability. The EEOC is seeking back pay, compensatory damages, and punitive damages for Rademacher.

Tech Mahindra has denied the EEOC’s allegations. The company said in a statement that it is “committed to equal employment opportunity for all employees and applicants” and that it “does not discriminate on the basis of disability.”

The lawsuit is the latest in a series of EEOC lawsuits against tech companies for discriminating against people with disabilities. In recent years, the EEOC has sued Apple, Google, and Microsoft for similar violations of the ADA.

The EEOC’s lawsuits are a sign that the agency is taking a more aggressive stance against discrimination in the tech industry. The lawsuits are also a reminder that people with disabilities have the same rights as everyone else to equal employment opportunity.