US Airways, Inc. v. Barnett

535 U.S. 391 (2002)

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US Airways, Inc. v. Barnett

United States Supreme Court
535 U.S. 391 (2002)

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Facts

In 1990, Robert Barnett (plaintiff) sustained a back injury while working as a cargo handler for US Airways, Inc. (US Airways) (defendant). Barnett used seniority rights to transfer to a less strenuous mailroom position. US Airways had a seniority system under which various job positions periodically opened up to seniority-based employee bidding. In 1992, Barnett learned other employees with higher seniority planned to bid for his mailroom position. Barnett asked US Airways to accommodate his physical disability by making an exception to its seniority system and allowing him to keep the mailroom job. US Airways decided not to grant the request. Barnett lost his mailroom job. Barnett sued US Airways under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), alleging unlawful disability discrimination. Barnett argued the requested accommodation—permanent assignment to the mailroom—was reasonable under the ADA. US Airways argued that the accommodation was unreasonable because it required US Airways to violate its well-established seniority system. The district court granted summary judgment to US Airways, but the court of appeals reversed. The United States Supreme Court granted certiorari.

Rule of Law

Issue

Holding and Reasoning (Breyer, J.)

Concurrence (Stevens, J.)

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