Opinion ID: 2718278
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Failure to Accommodate Discrimination Claim

Text: In a reasonable accommodation case, the discrimination is framed in terms of the failure to fulfill an affirmative duty–the failure to reasonably accommodate the disabled individual's limitations, as required by the ADA. Peebles v. Potter, 354 F.3d 761, 767 (8th Cir. 2004). In order to determine whether an accommodation is necessary, and if so, what that accommodation may be, the employer and employee must engage in the interactive process. Peyton v. Fred's Stores of Ark., Inc., 561 F.3d 900, 903 (8th Cir. 2009). To show that the employer failed to participate in the interactive process, the employee must show: 1) the employer knew about the employee's disability; 2) the employee requested accommodations or assistance for his or her disability; 3) the employer did not make a good faith effort to assist the employee in seeking accommodations; and 4) the employee could have been reasonably accommodated but for the employer's lack of good faith. Id. at 902 (quotation omitted). Breaux asserts that he specifically requested a reasonable accommodation–a leave of absence for surgery and recovery afterwards. The evidence, however, does -9- not indicate that Breaux made a specific request for an accommodation. Breaux testified that he had a conversation with Mike a few weeks prior to September 1, 2009, in which he said that he was feeling similar symptoms on his left shoulder, and that he was going to request surgery. His deposition testimony also reveals that he may have spoken with Mark about how much time he could take off for surgery, testifying that I might have inquired as to the amount of time I would need from the doctor, I would find out how much time that I would need and let [Mark] know probably. But, Breaux did not meet with his doctor to discuss surgery until September 9, 2009, after his termination, and was not formally assessed for surgery until October 2009. This evidence, at best, demonstrates that PFI was aware of Breaux's shoulder trouble, but it does not indicate that Breaux actually requested time off for his surgery as an accommodation. While the interactive process is informal and flexible, the predicate requirement triggering the interactive process is the employee's request for the accommodation, Kratzer v. Rockwell Collins, Inc., 398 F.3d 1040, 1045 (8th Cir. 2005) (internal quotation omitted), and here Breaux failed to prove that he requested an accommodation. Accordingly, the district court properly granted summary judgment on the ADA failure-to-accommodate discrimination claim.