Supreme Court Ruling Limits Disability Discrimination Lawsuits for Retirees

The U.S. Supreme Court has delivered a critical ruling that prevents retirees from initiating lawsuits against former employers over disability discrimination connected to retirement benefits. This decision emerged from the case of Karyn Stanley, a former firefighter from Florida. She alleged that her employer discriminated against her by discontinuing a health insurance subsidy for retired workers.

The ruling, authored by Conservative Justice Neil Gorsuch, held that the Americans with Disabilities Act protects only employees or job applicants. According to Gorsuch, the statute aims to prevent discrimination against people, not benefits, and clarifies that only those actively employed or seeking employment at the time of the alleged discrimination are covered.

The decision was supported by the court's conservative majority and liberal Justice Elena Kagan, while Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson dissented. Stanley's lawsuit, initially dismissed by lower courts, highlighted changes in policy that limited insurance coverage for disabled retirees. The verdict could influence the legal considerations of employers modifying retirement benefits in the future.

(With inputs from agencies.)