Know more. In John Harrison v. Benchmark Electronics Huntsville, Inc. The district court had previously granted summary judgment in favor of BEHI on all claims, but the appellate court reversed this decision, establishing significant precedents regarding the scope of ADA protections.
Harrison, a temporary employee at BEHI, sought permanent employment and underwent a drug test as part of the standard application process. Although the drug test initially came back positive for barbiturates, it was later cleared after Harrison provided a legitimate prescription for his epilepsy medication.
Despite this clearance, BEHI's hiring supervisor, Don Anthony, instructed Human Resources not to extend an offer to Harrison, leading to his termination from Aerotek, the staffing agency facilitating his temporary position. The court referenced several precedents to contextualize its decision. Steeltek , F. Contra Costa County Dept.
Power Light , F. The decision in Harrison v. Encourages employers to adopt more transparent and job-related criteria in their hiring practices, reducing the risk of inadvertent discrimination.
Aligns with and reinforces the interpretations of sister circuits, promoting uniformity in ADA enforcement across jurisdictional boundaries. Stimulates further judicial consideration and potential legislative clarification regarding private rights of action under specific ADA provisions.
