Opinion ID: 1710293
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 5

Heading: Evidence of Alcoholism

Text: As noted earlier in this opinion, for purposes of employment discrimination, the HCRA expressly excludes from the definition of handicap determinable physical or mental characteristics caused by the use of alcohol when the alcohol-related condition prevents the employee from performing his job duties. M.C.L. § 37.1103(f)(ii); M.S.A. § 3.550(103)(f)(ii). The plaintiff argues that even the defendant conceded that his alcoholism did not affect his job performance. Consequently, he argues that evidence of his alcoholism was not relevant to whether he was handicapped. Further, the plaintiff argues that evidence concerning his use of alcohol was not relevant to the issue of damages because it related only to life expectancy, which was not at issue in the case, and not to his projected retirement age. The plaintiff further argues that, even if his alcoholism were relevant, it should not have been admitted because the danger of unfair prejudice from this evidence substantially outweighed any probative value. MRE 403. We agree with the Court of Appeals that evidence of the plaintiff's use of alcohol was relevant in determining the plaintiff's handicapped status and that its probative value in this regard was not substantially outweighed by unfair prejudice. While at the close of proofs it became fairly apparent that the plaintiff's use of alcohol did not affect his job performance, this was not a foregone conclusion. For example, there was evidence that on at least two occasions his alcohol use might have affected his job performance. [25] Further, the defendant presented testimony that the plaintiff was fired because he did not meet his sales quotas. The defendant's theory was that the plaintiff's poor work performance, in the form of failing to meet the quotas, resulted from his failure to fully recover from the injuries caused by his alcoholism. While the plaintiff denied any continuing health problems that affected his job performance, this does not mean that the evidence regarding alcoholism was not relevant. The trial court did not abuse its discretion by allowing the jury to hear the evidence on both sides of this issue. Further, the trial court carefully cautioned the jury regarding how the evidence of alcoholism should be used. The court instructed that plaintiff could not be found to have a handicap if the condition caused by his use of alcohol affected his job duties, but that he could be found to have a handicap if the condition caused by his use of alcohol did not prevent him from performing his job duties. This instruction helped diminish the potential prejudicial effect of the evidence. [26] Additionally, we agree with the Court of Appeals that the evidence was relevant to the issue of damages. Expert testimony was elicited to the effect that the plaintiff, as a person with a liver transplant, could expect a lower life expectancy. From this evidence, a reasonable jury could infer that the plaintiff's ability to continue in his employment might be affected, reducing the amount of damages flowing from the alleged employment discrimination. Further, the plaintiff sought damages for mental anguish and other noneconomic damages. The amount of these damages would have been directly related to life expectancy. Consequently, we conclude that the Court of Appeals did not clearly err in concluding that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in allowing evidence of the plaintiff's alcoholism. B