He asked for a retest. His supervisor offered to vouch for him. It didn't matter
A flight instructor says he was fired over an alcohol test that came back positive—despite medical conditions he claims made the result unreliable.
Daniel Taylor, 71, has taken FlightSafety International to federal court, alleging the company dismissed him three days after a drug and alcohol screening he maintains produced a false positive. The lawsuit, filed January 15 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Georgia, paints a picture of an employer that, according to Taylor, ignored its own protocols and moved swiftly to end his eleven-year tenure.
Taylor spent decades flying for American Airlines before joining FlightSafety, where he trained students using flight simulators. According to court documents, the company had long been aware of his health conditions, including GERD and diabetes, as early as 2021. Over the years, he also underwent eye surgeries and treatment for prostate cancer, taking medical leave for both. Then, in November 2024, he suffered a mild stroke and was again out on leave.
What happened next sits at the heart of the dispute.
On December 10, 2024, with just one day's notice, Taylor was required to take a drug and alcohol test. The result came back positive for alcohol—a result Taylor insists was wrong. He had never failed such a test during his time at FlightSafety, including the numerous screenings he completed while employed there.
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