In this blog, I’ve written about mixed motive jury instruction twice. In the first entry, we explored whether mixed motive jury instructions with respect to the ADA were even possible after Gross v. FBL Financial. In the second, we explored whether where there is more than one cause of action to be
Title I
McDonnell-Douglass and the ADA; An Imperfect fit
By William Goren on
In employment discrimination cases, there are two kinds of cases (those involving direct evidence and those involving indirect evidence). Direct evidence cases are the proverbial smoking gun. That is, the plaintiff has explicit evidence that discrimination occurred. However, in most situations, it is difficult if not impossible to find direct evidence, rather things taken together…
Getting to first base: surviving a motion to dismiss
By William Goren on
In law school, we learn that the federal system is a notice pleading jurisdiction. The idea behind notice pleading is that you make a general statement as to what the case is about if you are a plaintiff and then the rest is up to discovery. Once discovery is done you can go with the…
Before doing a postemployment medical exam, do you need reasonable suspicion, probable cause, good cause, none of the above?
By William Goren on
Posted in Federal Cases, Title I
The ADA requires that an entity subject to the act cannot require a medical examination and cannot make inquiries of an employee as to whether that employee is an individual with a disability or as to the nature of the severity of the employee’s disability unless that examination or inquiry is job-related and consistent with…
Title II, employment, and essential eligibility requirements
By William Goren on
Before we get started on the blog entry, I want to thank everyone for their readership. This week, we should surpass the 1000 visitor mark. Also, we have now surpassed the 10,000 view mark. Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!
This blog entry explores whether title II of the ADA applies to employment issues, and how do you go about…
Enshrinement of unfair advantage as a legal standard: OCR, 504, and Sports
By William Goren on
For years (every edition of my book starting with the very first edition published in 2000 has had a chapter on the ADA and sports), I’ve written about how the ADA applies to sports. The United States Department of Education Office of Civil Rights has just issued a guidance dealing with their section 504 regulations…
The violation of a regulation implementing the ADA create a private remedy
By William Goren on
Over the years, it isn’t often that I see a missed opportunity (see below for a further discussion of whether an opportunity was really missed here), by a defendant in an ADA case to make a plaintiff’s litigation more difficult when the law allows them to do so. It is possible (though a for sure…
I wanna be a lifeguard with apologies to blotto part 2
By William Goren on
In a prior blog entry, I talked about a case out of Michigan whereby the District Court granted summary judgment to the County when the county refused to hire a person who wanted to be a lifeguard because he was deaf. Well now the Sixth Circuit has weighed in and has reversed the district…
Some thoughts on retaliation and the ADA
By William Goren on
42 U.S.C. § 12203(a) prohibits retaliation against an individual opposing any act or practice that violate the ADA or because the individual made a charge, testified, assisted, or participated in any manner an investigation, proceeding or hearing. Over the last few weeks, I have come across a few cases in the retaliation area that deserve…
Intersection between the FMLA and the ADA as amended: how it can get you in trouble
By William Goren on
Over the years, lots of people have written about the intersection between Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), myself included. You simply cannot deal with the ADA and not be aware of the FMLA and vice-versa. Some of the things to be aware of is that the FMLA…