HIV-Positive Wisconsin Teen Fired From Grocery Store Receives $90,000 Settlement
Korrin Krause, a 16-year-old Wisconsin girl with HIV who was fired from her job as a grocery store bagger after her manager learned of her HIV status, will receive $90,000 as part of a settlement deal, the Associated Press reports. Krause was fired after only one day on the job at Quality Foods IGA in the Wausau suburb of Schofield after her manager called Krause's mother to confirm that she had HIV. Krause, with the assistance of the AIDS Resource Center of Wisconsin, filed a complaint with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, charging that the store violated the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prevents employers from inquiring about a worker's HIV status or firing a worker because of HIV status. In May, an EEOC official ruled that Krause had reasonable cause and ordered the two parties to work on a settlement. Chester Bailey, director of the EEOC's Milwaukee office, said Krause, who was born with HIV, "lost her job because of the unfounded myths and fears associated with HIV infection and AIDS." However, Bernie Enkro, the owner of the grocery store, said the firing was a result of "miscommunication" (Associated Press, 2/5). Enkro previously stated that he offered Krause another job as a clerical worker after he learned of her HIV status. Enkro said, "Our interest was in protecting her health, not removing her from the store" (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 9/7/01). Under the terms of the deal, the store will pay Krause $1,000 in back pay and $89,000 for "emotional distress" (Associated Press, 2/5).
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