Supreme Court Rules Retired Disabled Employee Cannot Bring ADA Claims Over Post-Employment Benefits Change
On June 20, 2025, the Supreme Court of the United States held that a former firefighter forced to retire after developing Parkinson’s disease could not bring claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) over a change to her post-employment health insurance benefits . The ruling addressed a circuit split over whether disabled former employees can bring ADA claims to challenge employer decisions regarding post-employment benefits, narrowing ADA standing for retired employees. Quick Hits The Supreme Court ruled that a retired firefighter with Parkinson’s disease could not bring claims under the ADA regarding changes to her post-employment health benefits. The Court held that Title I of the ADA requires plaintiffs to have or desire a job for which they can perform the essential functions with or without reasonable accommodation at the time of an employer’s allegedly discriminatory actions. The decision clarifies a circuit split by concluding that to have standing under the ADA, p...