Cleveland v. Policy Management Systems Corp.
526 U.S. 795, 119 S. Ct. 1597, 143 L. Ed. 2d 966 (1999)
Supreme Court of the United States · May 24, 1999
What the court decided
Applying for or receiving Social Security disability benefits does not automatically bar an Americans with Disabilities Act claim, and there is no special presumption against the worker. Social Security does not consider whether the person could work with a reasonable accommodation, so the two claims can often be consistent. But a worker who swore to the Social Security Administration that she was unable to work must explain that statement well enough for a reasonable juror to conclude she could still perform the essential functions of her job, with or without reasonable accommodation.
Who won
The worker won this round. The Supreme Court unanimously vacated the judgment for the employer and sent the case back so she could offer her explanation.
Why it matters for workers with a medical condition
If you apply for Social Security disability, or long-term disability insurance, and also believe your employer treated you unlawfully, what you say in the application matters. It will not end your discrimination claim by itself, but you will have to reconcile it. Talk to a lawyer before you file.
Key passage: 526 U.S. 795 at 797-98, 802-07.
Read the decision (PDF) Marked with official reporter pages for citation.
Source of the text: Library of Congress (official United States Reports, bound volume 526) — https://tile.loc.gov/storage-services/service/ll/usrep/usrep526/usrep526795/usrep526795.pdf. This page summarizes the decision in plain language; the court’s own words are in the PDF above.