Richardson v. Powell
Opinion of the Court
JUDGMENT
This cause was considered on the record from the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, and was briefed and argued by counsel. It is
ORDERED and ADJUDGED, by this Court, that the judgment of the District Court is hereby affirmed. See Richardson v. Powell, Civ. No. 02-480 (D.D.C. Sept. 2, 2004).
Appellant challenges the District Court’s grant of summary judgment to appellee National Gallery of Art (“Gallery”), based on its findings that: (1) the Rehabilitation Act (“Act”), 29 U.S.C. § 701 et seq. (2000), protects only employees or applicants for existing and defined jobs, and (2) the record demonstrates that appellant was qualified solely for a sedentary position, a job feature that the Gallery was unable to offer. We reach the latter issue only, and find that the record as a whole clearly supports the District Court’s conclusion that appellant was unable to perform any position which involved painting as an essential function, and therefore the Act’s protections do not apply.
The Rehabilitation Act requires that an individual must be “qualified” for the job at issue. 29 U.S.C. § 794(d); 42 U.S.C. § 12112(a) (2000). An individual is “qualified” for a position under the Act if he or she can perform the essential functions of the position with a reasonable accommodation. 42 U.S.C. § 12111(8) (2000); Breen v. DOT, 282 F.3d 839, 841 (D.C.Cir. 2002). The dispute before us centers in large part on the Gallery’s “Light Duty Painter” position presented to appellant in September 1995. The job description listed four “Major Duties”: (1) prepare surface and apply coating materials, (2) conduct inventory, (3) answer the telephone and perform a variety of office tasks, and (4) provide a progress report regarding work completion. Position Description, AFM Light Duty Painter, Joint Appendix (“J.A.”) 34. Upon reviewing these requirements, appellant’s doctor asserted that appellant was
Pursuant to D.C. Circuit Rule 36, this disposition will not be published. The Clerk is directed to withhold issuance of the mandate herein until seven days after resolution of any timely petition for rehearing or rehearing en banc. See Fed. R.App. P. 41(b); D.C.Cir. Rule 41.
Reference
- Full Case Name
- Vernon RICHARDSON v. Earl A. POWELL, III, Director, National Gallery of Art
- Status
- Published