A former United Parcel Service worker has sued the company in federal court, saying she and other recovering addicts like her have been discriminated against because they take prescription medications.

Darlene E. Veltri, a package sorter at the Laurel Mountain facility for 17 years, said she was fired last January because she is a recovering alcoholic who takes Xanax for anxiety and depression.

Her suit, which is seeking class-action status, said UPS singles out employees with a history of addiction and forces them to disclose their prescriptions. The company then prohibits those employees from using medications it deems inappropriate for someone in recovery, according to the complaint.

In Veltri's case, she said the company determined her use of Xanax was not appropriate for her and fired her.