Brown v. Smith, No. 15-1114 (7th Cir. 2016)
Annotate this CaseDuring his 28 years at the City of Anderson Transit System (CATS), Brown developed diabetes and became unable to maintain his commercial driver’s license (CDL). He was then working as a dispatcher, which did not require a CDL. Brown was active in the Democratic Party. In 2004, the city elected Mayor Smith, a Republican, and Brown was demoted to the position of mechanic’s helper. Although possession of a CDL was listed in the job description, CATS granted Brown an accommodation. Years later, when Smith was defeated by a Democrat, Brown was promoted to a street‐supervisor position. Possession of a CDL was listed in the job description. His supervisors were aware of his inability to obtain a CDL when they promoted him. Brown worked as a street supervisor until he was fired in 2012—shortly after Smith was reelected--due to Brown's inability to “obtain CDL.” In a suit alleging disability discrimination, 42 U.S.C. 12112(a), a jury awarded Brown damages. The Seventh Circuit affirmed. The essential‐function issue is a factual question that was properly put before the jury, and the jury instructions, that it could consider “the amount of time spent on the job performing the function in question,” were consistent with federal regulations and precedent.
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