Garland's Digest

on employment discrimination law

Chapter 13 - Disability Discrimination

Overview

13.100 Introduction to ADA and Rehabilitation Act

13.200 Disability

13.300 Qualified individual / otherwise qualified

13.400 Issues in disparate treatment claims

13.500 Medical inquiries

13.600 Benefits

13.700 [Reserved]

13.800 Drug and alcohol issues

13.900 Miscellaneous


 

Detail

13.100 Introduction to ADA and Rehabilitation Act

             13.110 Overview

                          13.111 Similarities and differences between the ADA and the
                                        Rehabilitation Act

                                        13.111.10 Federal employees

                                        13.111.20 Rehabilitation Act's receipt of federal funds
                                                           requirement

                                        13.111.30 Affirmative action requirements

                          13.112 Issues unique to the ADA

                                        13.112.10 Title VII as precedent for ADA cases

                                        13.112.20 Does Title II of ADA apply to employment
                                                           claims?

                          13.113 Issues unique to the Rehabilitation Act

                                        13.113.10 Federal employees: Section 501 or Section
                                                           504

                                                           13.113.11 Rehabilitation Act (not ADA)
                                                                              applies to federal employees

                                                           13.113.12 ADA standards apply to
                                                                              Rehabilitation Act claims of
                                                                              federal employees

                                                           13.113.13 Affirmative action requirement
                                                                              under Section 501

                                        13.113.20 Prima facie case under the Rehabilitation
                                                           Act

                                                           13.113.21 Section 501

                                                           13.113.22 Section 504

                          13.114 Proving "because of disability" claims verses
                                        "reasonable accommodation" claims

                                        13.114.10 Whether a claim is a reasonable
                                                           accommodation claim

                                        13.114.20 Are "because of disability" claims and
                                                           "reasonable accommodation" claims
                                                           actually two separate claims or two means
                                                           of proving the same statutory claim?

                                        13.114.30 Plaintiff must be clear as to which claim he
                                                           or she is pursuing                                       

                          13.115 Employer cannot rely on stereotypes to make
                                        decision that employee or applicant cannot perform a
                                        job based on a disability

                          13.116 Employer's reliance on medical advice in making its
                                       employment decision

                          13.117 EEOC's ADA regulations are not binding, but . . .

                          13.118 Rehabilitation Act regulations are not binding, but . . .

                          13.119 Plaintiff must plead or prove the major life activities
                                       at issue

             13.120 Proving disparate treatment (or "because of disability")
                          claims

                          13.121 Statutory authority

                          13.122 Direct and indirect methods of proof

                          13.123 McDonnell Douglas analysis

                                       13.123.10 Prima facie case

                                                          13.123.11 Rehabilitation Act prima facie
                                                                             case

                                       13.123.20 Second and third prongs of McDonnell
                                                          Douglas

                                       13.123.30 When McDonnell Douglas should be used

                          13.124 "Because of disability" requirement under ADA

                          13.125 "Solely" because of disability requirement under the
                                        Rehabilitation Act

                          13.126 Adverse employment action requirement

                                       13.126.10 "Denial of training" is an adverse action
                                                          under the ADA

                          13.127 Different types of adverse employment actions

            13.130 Proving reasonable accommodation claims

                          13.131 Statutory authority

                          13.132 Employee's burden to establish a prima facie case

                          13.133 Generic prima facie case

                                       13.133.10 ADA

                                       13.133.20 Rehabilitation Act

                          13.134 Evidence of discriminatory animus unnecessary

             13.140 Disparate impact cases

             13.150 Associational claims

                          13.151 Statutory authority

             13.160 Interaction with the Family and Medical Leave Act

                          13.161 "Disability" under the ADA and "serious health
                                       condition" under the FMLA are different standards

                          13.162 Person must be able to perform essential functions in
                                       order to qualify for intermittent or reduced schedule
                                       FMLA leave

             13.170 Whether disability-related misconduct is protected

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13.200 Disability

             13.210 Three alternative definitions of disability

                          13.211 Statutory authority

                          13.212 Regulations addressing whether someone is disabled

                                       13.212.10 Regulations addressing whether someone
                                                          is disabled from the major life activity of
                                                          working

                                       13.212.20 EEOC Interpretative Guidance suggests
                                                          consideration of major life activity of
                                                          working as a last resort

                          13.213 Regulations addressing whether someone is regarded
                                       as disabled

                          13.214 Regulations addressing whether someone has a
                                       record of a disability

             13.220 Person with a disability

                          13.221 Existence of impairment

                                       13.221.10 Definition of impairment

                                       13.221.20 Plaintiff's duty to identify impairment

                                       13.221.30 Determination is a question of law

                                       13.221.40 Obesity as an impairment

                          13.222 Major life activity

                                       13.222.10 Definition of major life activity

                                       13.222.20 Teachings of Bragdon v. Abbott

                                       13.222.30 Plaintiff's duty to identify major life activity
                                                          affected by impairment

                                       13.222.40 Determination is a question of law

                         13.223 Specific major life activities

                                       13.223.01 Bladder condition

                                       13.223.02 Breathing

                                       13.223.03 Caring for oneself

                                       13.223.04 Caring for others

                                       13.223.05 Cleansing and eliminating waste from blood

                                       13.223.06 Climbing

                                       13.223.07 Concentrating and remembering

                                       13.223.08 Driving

                                       13.223.09 Eating

                                       13.223.10 Eliminating waste from body

                                       13.223.11 Everyday mobility

                                       13.223.12 Hearing

                                       13.223.13 Household chores

                                       13.223.14 Interacting with others

                                                          13.223.14.10 Getting along with others is
                                                                                   different from interacting with
                                                                                   others

                                       13.223.15 Kidney condition

                                       13.223.16 Learning

                                       13.223.17 Lifting

                                       13.223.18 Liver function

                                       13.223.19 Manual tasks

                                       13.223.20 Physical exertion

                                       13.223.21 Procreation / Reproduction

                                       13.223.22 Reaching

                                       13.223.23 Reading

                                       13.223.24 Seeing

                                       13.223.25 Sexual activity

                                       13.223.26 Sitting

                                       13.223.27 Sleeping

                                       13.223.28 Speaking

                                       13.223.29 Standing

                                       13.223.30 Thinking

                                       13.223.31 Travel (including air travel)

                                       13.223.32 Walking

                                                          13.223.32.10 Walking up stairs

                                       13.223.33 Working

                         13.224 Whether impairment substantially limits a major life
                                       activity

                                       13.224.10 Regulatory definition

                                       13.224.20 Courts' interpretation of substantially limits

                                       13.224.30 Definition of substantially limits with
                                                          regards to major life activity of working

                                       13.224.40 Determination is a question of fact

                                                          13.224.41 Employee has burden of proving
                                                                             disability

                                       13.224.50 Determination requires individualized
                                                          inquiry

                                       13.224.60 Consideration of corrective measures

                                                          13.224.61 Corrective measure may
                                                                             substantially limit a major life
                                                                             activity

                                       13.224.70 Types of proof

                                                          13.224.71 Necessity of medical proof

                                                          13.224.72 Necessity of comparative
                                                                             evidence

                                                          13.224.73 Necessity of vocational expert
                                                                             proof

                                       13.224.80 Miscellaneous issues concerning whether
                                                          impairment substantially limits

                                                          13.224.81 Does Toyota Motor Mfg. only
                                                                             apply where the major life
                                                                             activity is manual tasks?

                                                          13.224.82 Health problems triggered by
                                                                             single workplace are not
                                                                             sufficient to substantially limit a
                                                                             major life activity

                          13.225 Whether an impairment substantially limits the
                                        following major life activities

                                       13.225.01 Bladder condition

                                       13.225.02 Breathing

                                       13.225.03 Caring for oneself

                                       13.225.04 Caring for others

                                       13.225.05 Cleansing and eliminating waste from blood

                                       13.225.06 Climbing

                                       13.225.07 Concentrating and remembering

                                       13.225.08 Driving

                                       13.225.09 Eating

                                       13.225.10 Eliminating waste from body

                                       13.225.11 Everyday mobility

                                       13.225.12 Hearing

                                       13.225.13 Household chores

                                       13.225.14 Interacting with others

                                       13.225.15 Kidney condition

                                       13.225.16 Learning

                                       13.225.17 Lifting

                                       13.225.18 Liver function

                                       13.225.19 Manual tasks

                                       13.225.20 Physical exertion

                                       13.225.21 Procreation / Reproduction

                                       13.225.22 Reaching

                                       13.225.23 Reading

                                       13.225.24 Seeing

                                       13.225.25 Sexual activity

                                       13.225.26 Sitting

                                       13.225.27 Sleeping

                                       13.225.28 Speaking

                                       13.225.29 Thinking

                                       13.225.30 Travel

                                       13.225.31 Walking

                                       13.225.32 Working

                                                          13.225.32.10 Definition of "broad range of
                                                                                   jobs" or "class of jobs"

                                                          13.225.32.20 Whether certain jobs
                                                                                   constitute a "broad range of
                                                                                   jobs" or a "class of jobs"

                                                                  13.225.32.21 OTR truck driver

                                                                                   13.225.32.22 Police officer

                                                          13.225.32.30 Whether the inability to work
                                                                                   overtime constitutes a
                                                                                   substantial limitation

                                                          13.225.32.40 Employee not disabled based
                                                                                   on inability to work for
                                                                                   particular supervisor

                                                                                   13.225.32.41 Supervisor
                                                                                                            could trigger a
                                                                                                            disability

             13.230 Person regarded as having such an impairment

                          13.231 Standard for proving "regarded as" claims

                                       13.231.10 Regarded as disabled re working

                          13.232 General principles

                                       13.232.10 Employer's knowledge of medical condition
                                                          is insufficient to establish "regarded as
                                                          disabled"

                                       13.232.20 Can evidence of pretext be considered as
                                                          part of prima facie case to establish
                                                          "regard as" disabled?

                                       13.232.30 Whether offer of accommodation is
                                                          evidence that employer regarded
                                                          employee as disabled?

                                       13.232.40 Person who cannot meet DOT regulations is
                                                          not regarded as disabled

                                       13.232.50 Employer's request for IME is insufficient to
                                                          establish "regarded as disabled"

                                       13.232.60 Employer's reliance on medical advice

                                       13.232.70 Employee who was fine when hired is more
                                                          likely to be regarded as disabled if an
                                                          illness or injury develops

                                       13.232.80 Repetitive motion screening test

                          13.233 No "good faith" defense, but . . .

             13.240 Person with a record of such an impairment

                          13.241 Hospital stay not sufficient

             13.250 Cases addressing particular medical impairments or
                          conditions

                          13.251 List of impairments or conditions

                                       13.251.01 AIDS / HIV positive

                                       13.251.02 Alcohol addiction or alcoholism

                                       13.251.03 Allergies

                                       13.251.04 Anxiety or stress disorder

                                       13.251.05 Asthma

                                       13.251.06 Attention Deficit Disorder

                                       13.251.07 Bell's Palsy

                                       13.251.08 Bipolar disorder

                                       13.251.09 Bladder condition

                                       13.251.10 Cancer

                                                          13.251.10.10 Prostate cancer

                                       13.251.11 Cerebral Palsy

                                       13.251.12 Depression

                                       13.251.13 Diabetes

                                       13.251.14 Drug addiction

                                       13.251.15 Epilepsy

                                       13.251.16 Hearing or deafness

                                       13.251.17 Heart conditions

                                                          13.251.17.10 Heart attack

                                                          13.251.17.20 Pacemaker

                                       13.251.18 Incontinence

                                       13.251.19 Irritable Bowel Syndrome

                                       13.251.20 Lymphoma

                                       13.251.21 Meniere's disease

                                       13.251.22 Pancreatitis

                                       13.251.23 Panic disorder or attacks

                                       13.251.24 Phobia about driving in unfamiliar places

                                       13.251.25 Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

                                       13.251.26 Psoriasis

                                       13.251.27 Reproductive issues

                                                          13.251.27.10 Infertility

                                                          13.251.27.20 Pregnancy

                                       13.251.28 Sleep apnea

                                       13.251.29 Vision problems

                                                          13.251.29.10 Congenital nystagmus

                                                          13.251.29.20 Macular degeneration

                                                          13.251.29.30 Monocular vision

             13.260 Employer must know of disability

             13.270 Requirement that disability be permanent or long-term

                          13.271 EEOC regulation

                          13.272 Case law

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13.300 Qualified individual / otherwise qualified

             13.310 Statute and regulation

             13.320 General principles

                          13.321 Proving who is a qualified individual

                                       13.321.10 Plaintiff bears burden of proof

                               13.321.20 Cases addressing what plaintiff must prove

                          13.322 Definition of qualified individual

                                       13.322.10 Qualified individual includes job employee
                                                          holds or desires

                                       13.322.20 Time of employment action governs
                                                          determination

                                                          13.322.21 Court relies, in part, on
                                                                             subsequent events to support
                                                                             finding that plaintiff was disabled

                                       13.322.30 Employee who rejects offer of reasonable
                                                          accommodation is no longer qualified
                                                          individual

                                       13.322.40 Employee who poses threat of intentional
                                                          harm is not a qualified individual

                          13.323 Specific situations

                                       13.323.10 Former employee not qualified due to prior
                                                          job performance issues

                               13.323.20 Truck driver must meet DOT minimum
                                                          requirements

                                                          13.323.21 Truck driver must exhaust DOT
                                                                             administrative remedies

                                       13.323.30 Totally disabled employee cannot be a
                                                          qualified individual

                                       13.323.40 "100% healed" policy

                                       13.323.50 Disability retiree is not a qualified individual

             13.330 Essential functions

                          13.331 Statutory definition

                          13.332 Regulation

                          13.333 General principles

                                       13.333.10 What constitutes an essential job  function?

                                                          13.333.11 Determination is normally a
                                                                             question of fact for jury

                                                          13.333.12 Who has burden of proof as to
                                                                             which job functions are
                                                                             essential?

                                                          13.333.13 Job functions performed only
                                                                             sometimes or