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Seven former Dura employees (plaintiffs) sued Dura Automotive Systems, Inc. for employment discrimination after being terminated due to a new drug testing policy implemented at Dura's Lawrenceburg, Tennessee manufacturing facility. Dura's policy prohibited employees from working if they tested positive for certain substances found in legal prescription drugs, regardless of medical necessity or physician notes. All plaintiffs were terminated or placed on indefinite layoff due to this inflexible policy, despite medical review officers confirming their positive tests were due to legally prescribed medications. The court denied Dura's motions to dismiss the claims of two plaintiffs, Mark Long and Claudia Birdyshaw, finding that judicial estoppel was not applicable. The court granted Dura's motion for summary judgment in part, dismissing some of the plaintiffs' claims, including those based on direct disability and tort claims, but denied it regarding the ADA claims under Section 12112(b)(6). The court denied the plaintiffs' motion for summary judgment. Ultimately, the court ruled that all plaintiffs could proceed with their ADA claims alleging improper qualification standards/medical examinations under Section 12112(b)(6), and plaintiff Willarene Fisher could also proceed with her disability discrimination claim based on a 'record of disability' under both the ADA and Tennessee Disability Act.
Bates v. Dura Automotive Systems, Inc. is a workers' compensation case decided in District Court, M.D. Tennessee. This case addresses legal issues related to compensation claims, benefits, and court rulings.
It is commonly referenced in legal research involving workers' compensation laws in District Court, M.D. Tennessee.
Full Decision Text1 Pages
Seven former Dura employees (plaintiffs) sued Dura Automotive Systems, Inc. for employment discrimination after being terminated due to a new drug testing policy implemented at Dura's Lawrenceburg, Tennessee manufacturing facility. Dura's policy prohibited employees from working if they tested positive for certain substances found in legal prescription drugs, regardless of medical necessity or physician notes. All plaintiffs were terminated or placed on indefinite layoff due to this inflexible policy, despite medical review officers confirming their positive tests were due to legally prescribed medications. The court denied Dura's motions to dismiss the claims of two plaintiffs, Mark Long and Claudia Birdyshaw, finding that judicial estoppel was not applicable. The court granted Dura's motion for summary judgment in part, dismissing some of the plaintiffs' claims, including those based on direct disability and tort claims, but denied it regarding the ADA claims under Section 12112(b)(6). The court denied the plaintiffs' motion for summary judgment. Ultimately, the court ruled that all plaintiffs could proceed with their ADA claims alleging improper qualification standards/medical examinations under Section 12112(b)(6), and plaintiff Willarene Fisher could also proceed with her disability discrimination claim based on a 'record of disability' under both the ADA and Tennessee Disability Act.
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