No Review For 7th Circuit Multi-Month Leave ADA Ruling

The Supreme Court will not review a 7th Circuit ruling that “a multi-month leave of absence is beyond the scope of a reasonable accommodation” under the Americans with Disabilities Act. By declining to take the case, the Court leaves the ruling intact for employers in the 7th Circuit (Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin), which held that the ADA may require short leaves as a reasonable accommodation, but long-term medical leave is strictly the domain of the Family Medical Leave Act. The business community had hoped the Court would accept the petition, affirm the findings and establish the rule nationally. Other courts could follow the 7th, but employers should proceed with extreme caution. State and local laws, as well as company policies, still apply.