Assignment:
Midweek Production: Emma Woo v. Alta Auto
Draft a three to five page double-spaced Word document and use the Bluebook citation format.
Emma Woo comes to your law firm with a problem. She has worked for Alta Auto as an assembly worker for ten years. She ended up going out on a workers compensation claim for carpal tunnel syndrome. She was released to return to work. However, on her return she found that her position had been redesigned so that she was exclusively performing the function that led to her carpal tunnel. She requested a reasonable accommodation. However, her request was denied. Because she was unable to perform the job without the accommodation, she was terminated. Subsequently she filed an application for Social Security Disability. The hearing officer denied her application, saying it was pre-empted by the fact that she requested a reasonable accommodation under ADA.
Read Cleveland v. Policy Management Systems, 526 U.S. 795 (1999).
Analyze the hearing officer's decision in light of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Cleveland.
Given the Court's decision, did the hearing officer reach the correct conclusion? Why or why not?
Do you agree with the Court's conclusions in Cleveland? Why or why not?