Takeaway: Employers should keep job descriptions current and document why physical requirements are essential to a position. A temporary accommodation can be useful, but it should be described and managed as temporary if the employer has not agreed that the employee can perform the job permanently without the requirement. Before ending employment, employers also should confirm that available leave has been exhausted and that no effective accommodation would allow the employee to perform all essential functions.
The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed summary judgment for an employer, holding that a production operator who could not stand through a 12-hour shift or perform other required physical duties was not qualified under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or Title VII.
The ADA requires reasonable accommodation for the known limitations of an otherwise qualified employee with a disability. A qualified employee must be able to perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation.
The plaintiff worked as a production operator at a facility that made carbon-fiber products. The job required employees to set up and operate production equipment, restock materials, and pack, label, and document products. The written job description also required physical activity, including lifting at least 25 pounds overhead, turning, bending, reaching, pulling, walking, and standing for up to 12 hours.
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