Woolf v. Strada
949 F.3d 89 (2d Cir. 2020)
United States Court of Appeals, Second Circuit · February 6, 2020
What the court decided
Under the ADA, even after the 2008 amendments, an impairment that prevents someone from doing only one particular job, or from working under particular supervisors, does not substantially limit the major life activity of working. The worker has to show a limitation on a class or broad range of jobs.
Who won
The employer won. The Second Circuit affirmed summary judgment on the ADA claims.
Why it matters for workers with a medical condition
This limit applies to the federal definition. The New York State and City definitions do not require a substantial limitation at all, so a condition that fails this test can still count under New York law.
Key passage: 949 F.3d 89 at 94-95.
Read the decision (PDF) Marked with official reporter pages for citation.
Source of the text: United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (official slip opinion) — https://ww3.ca2.uscourts.gov/decisions/OPN/19-860_opn.pdf. This page summarizes the decision in plain language; the court’s own words are in the PDF above.