NFIB

Supreme Court Establishes Guidelines for Determining Worker Disability
01/09/2002

In a unanimous ruling, the Supreme Court yesterday ruled that a person can only be considered disabled under the American Disabilities Act if he or she has severe limits on "activities that are of central importance to most people's daily lives" and not just in the workplace, the Washington Times reports.

"Expanding the ADA from covering workers with disabilities to include workers who cannot perform a particular job function would have exploded the cost of doing business and dramatically increased all employers' risk for lawsuits from disgruntled workers," said Stephen Bokat, head of the National Chamber of Commerce Litigation Center.

A long debate has ensued over whether diseases of the musculoskeletal system, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, should be covered under the ADA. The Labor Department estimates that 2 million workers are affected by carpal tunnel and that one-third of those diagnosed miss work at times.

The Supreme Court's decision centered on Ella Williams, a Kentucky factory worker whose doctors said carpel tunnel kept her from inspecting paint jobs at a Toyota plant. Williams testified that she was still able to perform household chores and personal hygiene tasks.

"The central inquiry must be whether the claimant is unable to perform the variety of tasks central to most people's daily lives, not just those associated with a particular job," said Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.