Discrimination case fails at second attempt

A court case earlier this month highlights the obligations of employers under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to reasonably accommodate disabled employees. In the case of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission v. Methodist Hospitals of Dallas, a patient care technician at a regional hospital applied for a scheduling coordinator position after suffering a work-related injury.

The hospital allowed injured employees to request short-term disability benefits and leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 but required disabled employees seeking permanent reassignment to compete for open positions. In this case, the hospital selected a more qualified candidate for the scheduling coordinator role, leading to an ADA lawsuit by the employee.

The district court granted summary judgment in favor of the hospital on both claims, but the case highlights the requirements under the ADA for employers to avoid discrimination against qualified individuals based on their disability.

To prove an ADA discrimination claim based on a failure to reasonably accommodate, the employee must establish that they have a disability covered under the ADA, are qualified to perform the essential functions of the job with or without accommodation, that the employer knew about the disability and its limitations, and the employer failed to provide reasonable accommodations. This case serves as a reminder to employers to take reasonable steps to...

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