PAM Transport, Inc. has been ordered to pay 12 of its former truck drivers a total of $477,399 in a disability discrimination lawsuit brought by the EEOC.

In its lawsuit, the EEOC alleged that PAM violated the ADA by subjecting its entire workforce of truck drivers to overly broad medical inquiries. The lawsuit arose from PAM's medical clearance policy, which required all drivers to notify the company whenever the driver had any contact with a medical professional, including a routine physical.

Such alleged conduct violates the ADA which prohibits employers from making medical inquiries of employees unless the inquiries are job-related and consistent with business necessity.

In April 2012, the court issued an order mandating the company to change its medical clearance policy to make medical inquiries of drivers only when they are job-related and consistent with business necessity. To help resolve remaining issues, the court appointed a retired judge as third-party decision maker.

The court entered an order which requires PAM to $225,998 in back pay and interest, $49,114 in compensatory damages, and $202,287 in punitive damages to 12 of its former truck drivers.

"A punitive damages award almost equal to the other awarded damages reinforces the ADA's prohibition against impermissible medical inquiries," said the EEOC attorney.