Microsoft Executive With Autism Not Entitled to Work Assistants

A Microsoft Corp. executive failed to show that the company violated the Americans with Disabilities Act partly because personal assistants and other accommodations he requested for his autism spectrum disorder would have exempted him from performing his fast-paced job’s essential functions, the Fifth Circuit said Tuesday.

John Thompson was an enterprise architect, which is a senior-level executive position serving as a liaison between Microsoft and its clients. The company granted some of Thompson’s requests for accommodation, including a specialized job coach and software to support time management and organization.

But Microsoft denied other requests, including assistants to translate Thompson’s verbal ...