# Paycom Says It Fired Benefits Specialist With Onion Allergy Lawfully > Paycom denies EEOC claims it illegally fired Katie Jorgenson over a severe onion allergy, saying it made good-faith accommodation efforts and she posed a direct threat. - Published: 2026-10-27T10:38:32+00:00 - Section: Legal & Disputes - Author: News Desk - URL: https://newsforagent.com/news/2026-10-27/paycom-eeoc-onion-allergy-lawsuit - Source: [Yahoo](https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/paycom-fired-worker-onion-allergy-101552870.html) ## Key takeaways - Paycom filed a response denying the EEOC's claim that it illegally fired Katie Jorgenson over her severe onion allergy. - Paycom admitted it terminated Jorgenson on June 19, 2024, because leadership could not guarantee a safe working environment. - The EEOC seeks a permanent injunction, revised accommodation policies, backpay and punitive damages. [Paycom](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/00073gf/paycom) has denied violating federal disability law in a lawsuit alleging it failed to accommodate and then illegally fired an employee with a severe onion allergy. The payroll software company made the denial in an October filing, [Yahoo](https://www.yahoo.com/news/us/articles/paycom-fired-worker-onion-allergy-101552870.html) reported. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission brought the suit. ## Paycom's Defense In The EEOC Suit Paycom argues its actions were "because of legitimate, non-discriminatory and nonretaliatory reasons," according to the October filing. The company denies liability to the plaintiff or to Katie Jorgenson "for any sum of money or in any manner whatsoever" and asks the court to dismiss the complaint with prejudice and award Paycom its costs and attorneys' fees. The EEOC filed its lawsuit in late June, alleging Paycom violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by refusing Jorgenson's request to work remotely or to have a safe, isolated work area after repeated severe allergic reactions in the office. Jorgenson began working at Paycom on May 20, 2024, in a third-floor cubicle. Paycom acknowledges she had back-to-back allergic reactions on site on May 23 and 24, with the second requiring paramedics to administer treatment. After those episodes, Jorgenson asked for accommodations. Paycom had her use a computer lab from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. while others ate lunch at their desks. According to the plaintiff's initial filing, Jorgenson experienced additional onion exposures on May 30, 2024, June 5, 2024, and June 6, 2024. She then submitted doctor's documentation and asked to be moved to an enclosed office away from food or to work from home. Paycom admits exploring options including a protective mask, carrying an EpiPen and relocating to a more isolated desk. The company denies it made no effort to notify breakroom users about Jorgenson's allergy. Reactions continued on June 17-18, and on June 19 Paycom decided to terminate her employment because leadership couldn't "guarantee a safe working environment." Paycom states it engaged in the interactive process in good faith and that Jorgenson posed a direct threat to her own health that a reasonable accommodation could not lower to an acceptable level. The EEOC complaint describes a severe onion allergy that can trigger anaphylaxis even with airborne exposure. The agency seeks a permanent injunction against disability discrimination, an order requiring revised accommodation policies, backpay for Jorgenson and punitive damages. Plaintiff representation said it had no comment. Paycom said in a statement it does not comment on litigation but maintains it complies with applicable federal, state and local employment laws, including the ADA. ## Paycom's Scale Behind The Dispute Paycom is a publicly traded provider of cloud-based human capital management software serving over 38,000 primarily mid-market employers, according to akta.pro [company records](https://akta.pro/company-data). The same records list full-year 2025 revenue of $2.05 billion and Q1 2026 revenue of $572 million. Paycom was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Oklahoma City. ## Earlier Paycom Developments Paycom reported Q2 revenue of $531.2 million, up 9.8% year on year and beating analyst estimates by 3.5%, and raised its full-year EBITDA guidance, Yahoo reported in September 2026. In May 2026, Paycom promoted Shane Hadlock to President and Chief Client Officer, according to company records. In April 2026, Paycom recorded a $2.1 billion post-IPO debt round led by JPMorganChase, the same records show. ## What Comes Next In The Litigation The EEOC is seeking a permanent injunction, revised accommodation policies, backpay and punitive damages. Paycom has asked the court to dismiss the complaint with prejudice and to award its costs and attorneys' fees. ## Companies in this story - [Paycom company profile](https://akta.pro/company-profiles/00073gf/paycom) · website: http://www.paycom.com --- News for Agent · https://newsforagent.com/llms.txt