Opinion ID: 163249
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: ADA Claim – Lucent

Text: Ms. Revels contends that Lucent violated the ADA by intentionally discriminating against her when it refused to allow her to return to work because Lucent regarded her as disabled. Lucent denies any discriminatory intent and instead argues that it did not rehire Mr. Revels because she failed to produce a 2 Ms. Revels repeatedly asserts her right to a jury trial. Because we affirm the grant of summary judgment for Lucent, we have determined “that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(c). There is thus no need for a jury to make any factual findings. -8- satisfactory physician’s opinion that she was medically fit to resume employment, as required under its unwritten policy. The ADA prohibits employers from discriminating against individuals on the basis of disability. 42 U.S.C. § 12112(a). To survive summary judgment on her claim for disability discrimination under the ADA, Ms. Revels “bore the burden of raising a genuine issue of material fact on each element of her prima facie case.” Doyal v. Okla. Heart, Inc., 213 F.3d 492, 495 (10th Cir. 2000). To do so, she had to show “(1) she is a disabled person as defined by the ADA; (2) she is qualified, with or without reasonable accommodation, to perform the essential functions of the job held or desired; and (3) the employer discriminated against her because of her disability.” Id. “Disability is a term of art under the ADA.” Id. To satisfy the statutory definition of disability, Ms. Revels had to show either that she had “a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of [her] major life activities,” or that she had “a record of such impairment,” or that she was “regarded as having such an impairment.” 42 U.S.C. § 12102(2)(A)-(C). Ms. Revels maintains that she qualifies as a “disabled” person under the ADA because Lucent refused to allow her to return to work because it “regarded” her as being disabled under § 12102(2)(C). We evaluate discrimination claims predicated upon the ADA using the burden-shifting analysis first used to examine Title VII employment -9- discrimination claims in McDonnell Douglas Corp. v. Green, 411 U.S. 792, 802-04 (1973), and later developed in Texas Dept. of Community Affairs v. Burdine, 450 U.S. 248, 252-56 (1981) and St. Mary’s Honor Ctr. v. Hicks, 509 U.S. 502, 506-12 (1993). Under this burden-shifting framework, plaintiffs who make a facial showing that they are “qualified, disabled persons” under the ADA, create a presumption that the defendant engaged in unlawful discrimination. Hicks, 509 U.S. at 506. Once that presumption is created, the defendant must produce evidence supporting a nondiscriminatory explanation for its decision. Id. at 506-07. This explanation, of course, must not be mere pretext. Id. at 515. Lucent maintains that Ms. Revels cannot establish a prima facie case, and even if she could, that it proffered a legitimate nondiscriminatory reason for not allowing her to return to work–that is, her doctor’s note did not provide an adequate explanation of the change from “permanently disabled” to “able to work.” Because we decide below that Lucent offered a legitimate reason for not rehiring Ms. Revels, and no evidence indicates that this reason was pretextual, we need not address the issue of whether Ms. Revels was indeed “qualified and disabled” under the ADA. Under the assumption that Ms. Revels is qualified and disabled for purposes of the ADA, the burden of production shifts to the defendant to produce evidence of a legitimate, nondiscriminatory reason for the challenged employment decision. Randle v. City of Aurora, 69 F.3d 441, 451 (10th Cir. 1995). Lucent -10- maintains that it refused to allow Ms. Revels to return to work because (1) the medical release did not explain what had medically changed to explain why she was then able to return to work; and (2) based on past practice and based on the previously received health care provider notes, Lucent had reason to expect that such an explanation would be forthcoming. Construing Ms. Revels’s allegations liberally, as we must, she contends that Lucent did not follow its established procedures when it refused to allow her to return to work. Lucent admits it was transitioning to a nurse-based facility, and there is no suggestion that it told Ms. Revels that no doctor would be present on August 9, 2000. However, we agree with Lucent that had a physician been present, that she too would have contacted Dr. Hinz’s office for clarification, and that the outcome would remain unchanged. Lucent also attacks the Dr. Hinz release note as a “sham,” pointing to Dr. Hinz’s notes that the release was given “solely” at Ms. Revels’s request. Lucent’s App. at 148. Sham or not, Lucent concedes that the medical release requirement was not written in its disability plan. However, the Union and Lucent aver that the requirement was established practice and we agree that “[t]here is no evidence that Lucent fabricated the policy.” Aples’ Br. Addendum (Dist. Ct. Order, filed May 6, 2002), at 12 n.36. The goal of the release requirement–to ensure that returning to work does not hamper recovery–is rational and legitimate. We hold that Lucent has articulated a legitimate, non-discriminatory reason for refusing to -11- allow Ms. Revels to return to work. See Holtzclaw v. DSC Communications Corp., 255 F.3d 254, 259 (5th Cir. 2001) (holding written medical release was “not probative evidence” of employees “ability to work”; no medical evaluation performed before letter was written). We also hold that Ms. Revels has adduced no proof that Lucent’s stated reasons were pretextual.