News Notes: New Ruling Clarifies ADA Light Duty Obligations

Several injured prison guards who lost their jobs after their doctors prohibited them from having direct contact with inmates were not discriminated against under the Americans with Disabilities Act, according to a new ruling by the federal appeals court that covers California. The King County Department of Adult Detention initially accommodated the guards’ injuries by assigning them to light duty positions in the jail control room. But after determining that the guards’ impairments were permanent, a newly hired prison director terminated them. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal rejected the guards’ contention that they were entitled to permanent light duty positions as an accommodation under the ADA. The court ruled that contact with inmates was an essential function of the corrections officer position, and the prison had no obligation to create new light duty jobs to accommodate their disabilities.