SCOTUS: ADA Doesn't Extend To Retired Employees

The United States Supreme Court has determined that the Americans with Disabilities Act ("ADA") does not extend to discrimination claims from retired employees. In an 8–1 decision issued on June 20, 2025, the Court held that to prevail under a Title I ADA claim, "... a plaintiff must plead and prove that she held or desired a job, and could perform its essential functions with or without reasonable accommodation, at the time of an employer's alleged act of disability-based discrimination."

This decision arises from a legal dispute between Karyn Stanely and the City of Sanford, Florida. Stanely, a retired firefighter diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, sued the city after her retiree health benefits were altered, alleging discrimination under the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act and the Florida Civil Rights Act.