Case asks: how disabled is disabled enough?; High court ruling may clarify who is eligible for accommodation under the ADA.(Brief Article)

Business Insurance, November, 2001 by Hofmann, Mark A.

WASHINGTON-In a closely watched case, the Supreme Court will decide whether an impairment that limits a worker's ability to perform some job-related tasks is a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Employers see much at stake in Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky Inc. vs.

Ella Williams, which was argued before the high court last Wednesday. ``It's a fundamental question of how disabled one must be to claim coverage under the ADA,'' said Quentin Riegel, deputy general counsel for the National Assn. of Manufacturers in Washington. ``We believe that injuries are not enough to constitute disability. Congress intended the definition of disability to mean severe, substantial long-term conditions affecting major life activities.'' ``It goes to...

Read the rest of this article with a Free Trial at HighBeam Research.

Premium Content Partnership | HighBeam Research provides an in-depth online archive library of reference works.