Opinion ID: 184247
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Steward’s Physical Restrictions and Layoff

Text: During her years of employment at Chrysler, Steward developed several debilitating conditions, including bilateral carpal-tunnel syndrome and left ulnar neuropathy. ROA at 305. By October 2004, her physical limitations prohibited her from lifting more than ten pounds with her left hand, prevented her from pushing or pulling more than ten pounds, and required her to wear padded gloves. ROA at 299. On October 4 of that year, Moyna Moore, then a Chrysler human resources employee, sent an email to McKerley and two other supervisors stating that Steward’s limitations could be accommodated by placing her in another position; although that position had already been designated for another employee, Moore stated that Steward had priority over the other employee because of Steward’s greater seniority. ROA at 300. Chrysler instead chose to accommodate Steward by assigning a full-time assistant to Steward in her position lifting and installing windshield frames. ROA at 370. This accommodation continued until March 2005, when, citing budgetary constraints, Chrysler took away Steward’s assistant. On March 16, 2005, Steward filed a charge of disability discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”), stating: I am now employed [with Chrysler] as a Craft Person. I am an individual with a disability. . . . The respondent refuses to give me another Craft Person job that would honor my restrictions. I am doing my job against my doctor’s restrictions. . . . I believe that I have been denied a reasonable accommodation, because of my disability, in violation of the [ADA] . . . . ROA at 229. -8- No. 08-1282 Steward v. New Chrysler The next day, on March 17, 2005, Chrysler informed Steward that she was being placed on paid layoff because no positions existed that could accommodate her physical limitations. Under this arrangement, Steward has been paid 95% of her former annual gross pay to perform no duties, although Steward stopped receiving health-care and other benefits after one year. As far as the record discloses, this arrangement was to continue at least until the expiration of the active collective-bargaining agreement in September 2007, and possibly indefinitely. ROA at 131, 137.