Ella Williams began working at Toyota's automobile manufacturing plant in Georgetown, Kentucky, in August 2010. She was

Question:

Ella Williams began working at Toyota's automobile manufacturing plant in Georgetown, Kentucky, in August 2010. She was placed on an engine fabrication assembly line, where her duties included work with pneumatic tools. Use of these tools eventually caused pain in her hands, wrists, and arms. She sought treatment at Toyota's in-house medical service, where she was diagnosed with bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome and bilateral tendinitis. Williams consulted a personal physician who placed her on permanent work restrictions that precluded her from lifting more than 20 pounds or from "frequently lifting or carrying of objects weighing up to 10 pounds," engaging in "constant repetitive ... flexion or extension of [her] wrists or elbows," performing "overhead work," or using "vibratory or pneumatic tools." In light of these restrictions, for the next two years Toyota assigned Williams to various modified duty jobs. Nonetheless, Williams missed some work for medical leave, and eventually filed a claim under the Kentucky Workers' Compensation Act. The parties settled this claim, and Williams returned to work.
Upon her return, Toyota placed Williams on a team in Quality Control Inspection Operations (QCIO). QCIO is responsible for four tasks: (1) "assembly paint"; (2) "paint second inspection"; (3) "shell body audit"; and (4) "ED surface repair." Williams was initially placed on a team that performed only the first two of these tasks, and for a couple of years, she rotated on a weekly basis between them. Williams was physically capable of performing both of these jobs and that her performance was satisfactory.
During the fall of 2016, Toyota announced that it wanted QCIO employees to be able to rotate through all four of the QCIO processes. Williams therefore received training for the shell body audit job, in which team members apply a highlight oil to the hood, fender, doors, rear quarter panel, and trunk of passing cars at a rate of approximately one car per minute. The highlight oil has the viscosity of salad oil, and employees spread it on cars with a sponge attached to a block of wood. After they wipe each car with the oil, the employees visually inspect it for flaws. Wiping the cars required respondent to hold her hands and arms up around shoulder height for several hours at a time.
A short while after the shell body audit job was added to Williams' rotations, she began to experience pain in her neck and shoulders. However, she could still brush her teeth, wash her face, bathe, tend her flower garden, fix breakfast, do laundry, and pick up around the house. Williams requested that Toyota accommodate her medical conditions by allowing her to return to doing only her original two jobs in QCIO, which Williams claimed she could still perform without difficulty. Toyota refused. Subsequently Williams was terminated. Williams sued Toyota for failing to provide her with a reasonable accommodation as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Explain whether Williams has a successful cause of action against Toyota.
Fantastic news! We've Found the answer you've been seeking!

Step by Step Answer:

Related Book For  book-img-for-question

Smith and Robersons Business Law

ISBN: 978-1337094757

17th edition

Authors: Richard A. Mann, Barry S. Roberts

Question Posted: