For Immediate Release
Wednesday, February 21, 2001
Court's Narrow Decision Delivers Blow to Civil Rights of Workers with Disabilities
Washington —The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO, criticized the U.S. Supreme Court today for a 5-4 ruling that would make it much harder for state employees with disabilities to get relief from workplace discrimination.
The Court ruled that Title I of the 1990 American With Disabilities Act (ADA) passed by Congress and signed into law by former President George Bush does not allow state workers to sue in federal court for employment discrimination. The lawsuit was brought by two Alabama residents, one a nurse recovering from breast cancer and the other a security guard with severe asthma, against state employers who created hostile work environments.
"First, the Supreme Court intervenes to stop minority votes from being counted. Now it won't stand up for federal civil rights laws that protect the disabled. Are civil rights protections for minorities next on its hit list?" said President Gerald W. McEntee.
In University of Alabama v. Garrett, the Court's conservative majority overturned an appeals court ruling in favor of the two workers, claiming that Congress had not found a clear enough pattern of discrimination by state institutions to justify federal intervention. But in his dissent, Justice Stephen G. Breyer countered that Congress had documented about 300 such cases before passing the ADA.
AFSCME is the largest public-sector union in the country, representing 1.3 million employees. Over a half million of its members work for state governments and public universities.
- Full text of University of Alabama v. Garrett opinion
