His own doctors said he was fit to work - so how did the railroad keep him sidelined
A federal appeals court sided with Union Pacific this week, ruling the railroad lawfully kept a conductor off the job after his stroke.
The decision, filed August 11, 2026, by the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, matters for any employer that uses fitness-for-duty reviews to manage safety-sensitive roles. It shows how much weight courts give an employer's medical judgment.
The worker had spent more than ten years as a conductor, operating and moving trains. In January 2015 he suffered a stroke at home while off duty. He recovered quickly; within four days most of his symptoms were gone. His treating neurologist cleared him to return by the end of February.
Union Pacific was not convinced. Because the job was safety-sensitive, the railroad's health and medical services department ordered a fitness-for-duty evaluation. Its chief medical officer first imposed one-year restrictions that barred the conductor from operating machinery or working near moving trains. Later, a company physician extended those limits to five years, concluding the worker had "an unacceptable risk for future seizure" tied to his stroke and a brain bleed he suffered during treatment.
The restrictions held even though the worker's own doctors said he was fit. He asked for a review in 2018; the company found "no basis" to lift the limits. He said he tried again in 2020. He never returned to the job and eventually neared...
Compliance It’s the second federal contractor to settle with the Department of Justice over claims related to DEI programs without admitting to any wrongdoing. August 31, 2026 • 3 min read I-9 in n...