Bias Award Upheld for County Worker With Night Blindness, Asthma

Sufficient evidence supported a federal jury’s findings that a Tennessee county health employee’s asthma and trouble seeing when driving at night amounted to disabilities, the Sixth Circuit ruled Friday in a novel case.

The decision upholding a $138,626 judgment in favor of Rebecca Edwards against Shelby County provides guidance for workers and employers on when night blindness is protected from job discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The ADA’s text, amendments, regulations, and case law require individualized assessments of whether a specific worker’s condition constitutes an impairment, and whether their impairment substantially limits them in a major life activity ...