No Return, No Case: Michigan Federal Court Rejects ADA and Retaliation Claims After Extended Leave
On August 19, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan held that an employee was not protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act since he had not been medically cleared to return to work and could not perform his essential job functions. The decision in Haack v. Lapeer County Road Commission highlights the stance of requests for indefinite leave in the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals. Quick Hits On August 19, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan held that an employee on medical leave was not protected under the ADA since he had not been medically cleared to return to work and could not perform his essential job functions. The employer had already granted over a year of leave, so the employee’s request for more open-ended leave was considered unreasonable. The court reasoned that neutral and nondisability-based communications from the employer did not support a hostile work environment claim . Background on the C...