Federal Appeals Court Rules No ADA Claim for Obese Job Applicant

A job applicant rejected for a railroad mechanic's job because of morbid obesity has no Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) claim against the employer, a federal appeals court has ruled. Because the applicant's weight was not caused by an underlying physiological disorder, it is not a "physical impairment" under the ADA. Had the applicant's obesity been the result of a physiological disorder that affects a major body system, the applicant's condition would have been protected by the ADA, and the employer would not have been able to reject the employee solely on account of his weight without violating the ADA.
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A job applicant rejected for a railroad mechanic's job because of morbid obesity has no Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) claim against the employer, a federal appeals court has ruled.  Because the applicant's weight was not caused by an underlying physiological disorder, it is not a "physical impairment" under the ADA. Had the applicant's obesity been the result of a physiological disorder that affects a major body system, the applicant's condition would have been protected by the ADA, and the employer would not have been able to reject the employee solely on account of his weight without violating the ADA. 

The ADA requires employers to ensure that people with disabilities have an equal opportunity to apply for jobs and to work in jobs for which they are qualified.  The statute also limits the kinds of medical information employers can get from job applicants and requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to the known limitations of qualified individuals with disabilities.
 
Disabilities advocates criticized the court's decision, saying the result could have an "unfortunate impact" if other employers adopt the policies that the employer adopted in this case.  Allowing employers to reject applicants based on obesity could also have disproportionate adverse impacts based on age and race, disabilities advocates argued.
 

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