A New Jersey building materials manufacturer has agreed to pay $62,500 to settle claims that the company illegally fired a disabled worker at its Savannah plant, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in Atlanta announced Thursday.

The Building Materials Manufacturing Corp., which produces roofing materials, settled the EEOC suit after attorneys with the agency's regional office in Atlanta charged that the company had refused to allow the disabled employee to exercise seniority rights to “bump” junior employees, resulting in what the agency said was an unlawful termination based on his disability.

According to the EEOC suit, the company's contract with the United Steelworkers Union included a provision that allowed senior employees to remain employed by “bumping” less-senior employees during a layoff. “Bumping” refers to a senior employee who moves to another position by removing a less-senior employee from a job.