Last year, General Motors Corp., the world's largest automaker, named Richard Wagoner to succeed Jack Smith as chief executive officer, passing over Harry Pearce, vice chairman of GM's board, who had been regarded as Smith's likely successor until he was diagnosed with leukemia in 1998. Pearce remains active as vice chairman. Many more examples are never publicly disclosed, said David Brady, associate dean of Stanford University's graduate school of business. You try to keep valuable people there. In a case like Cheney's, a lot of the time a corporation wouldn't have to reveal it.
Practices vary, depending upon circumstances.
But if you are in the top echelon, if you are a top producer, unless something dreadful happens you are kept on and allowed to work until you die. Companies have become more careful about dismissing people for health reasons, Werhane said. The Americans With Disabilities Act, known as the ADA, was passed by strong bipartisan majorities over concerted business opposition. It prohibits discrimination against the disabled in employment, public services and accommodations. But in recent years the Supreme Court has limited the law's reach.