Opinion ID: 790216
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Hammel's Job Performance Problems Unrelated to His Disability

Text: 26 At the outset, we note that throughout the course of his employment Hammel displayed a number of most troubling work habits that had nothing to do with his disability. Hammel repeatedly took unauthorized work breaks and engaged in making personal telephone calls on work time. In addition, without permission Hammel would walk outside the factory for cigarette breaks while he was on duty. Hammel also exhibited insubordinate, arrogant and obstinate behavior—unrelated to his vision impairment—when he mocked Smith after being told to get back to work following another unauthorized cigarette break as well as when he refused to cease and desist operating the cheese grinder after he was reprimanded for repeatedly placing his hands on and inside of the dangerous machinery while in operation. The disregard Hammel exhibited for the direct orders he was given and his demonstrated lack of respect for his supervisor's directions evince a troubled, confused and unsuitable employee, not a disabled one. Many of the reckless acts Hammel was guilty of committing in the factory bore no connection to his vision disability, but rather to his insubordinate makeup and nature. For example, Hammel negligently operated an electric pallet jack, which on at least one occasion crashed into a wall, ruining a pallet of cheese wheels (which Hammel shrugged off and laughed about immediately after the incident). In addition, Hammel had a tendency to slam the 30-pound cheese wheels onto the work table, rather than carefully place them as instructed; a practice which distracted and endangered his fellow employees and damaged the cheese product. Hammel cannot reasonably claim that such irresponsible and reckless conduct was the result of his diminished sight. These were serious employment infractions and no employer should be required to accept much less ignore or condone this type of irresponsible conduct simply because the employee acting out also happens to be suffering from a disability within the meaning of the ADA. 27 Due to Hammel's careless attitude and inability to perform the tasks assigned to him, EGC was certainly justified in discharging him based solely on his behavior and attitude, without regard to his disability. However, unfortunately for EGC, the company made Hammel's disability an issue and without doubt spurred this litigation when, in an attempt to protect him from the real truth of his discharge, they informed Hammel that he was being terminated, not because he was an undesirable employee with serious attitudinal problems, but because his vision impairment interfered `to some extent' with his work and caused [EGC] concern for his own safety and the safety of his coworkers, a mistake Buhlman acknowledged in deposition testimony prior to trial. Id. at 2003 WL 21665133, at , 2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 11380, at . The district court reasoned that these statements were sufficient to demonstrate that EGC had discharged Hammel because of his disability. However, notwithstanding this determination, the judge ruled post-trial that the reasons EGC had given when terminating Hammel were irrelevant because Hammel failed at trial to demonstrate that he was capable of performing the essential functions of the job in manner that met EGC's legitimate business expectations, with or without accommodation. We agree. 28 Hammel has not argued, nor could he argue that the improper motivations of the decision makers at EGC alone entitle him to relief pursuant to the ADA. For it is well established that [u]nder the ADA, the employer avoids all liability if the plaintiff would have been fired because incapable of performing the essential functions of the job. Miller, 107 F.3d at 484 (emphasis added). Employment decisions motivated by an improper or discriminatory animus are violative of the ADA, but however improper, the ADA only protects qualified individuals; those who can perform the essential functions of their job with or without reasonable accommodations. Id. at 485. Thus, it is Hammel's burden to establish either: (a) that he could perform the essential functions of his job without accommodation; or (b) that reasonable accommodations were available and could have been implemented to allow him to perform the essential functions of his job. 29