The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became law over 20 years ago. But until last month, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, which includes North and South Carolina, had never specified a plaintiff’s burden of proving a claim for discrimination under the act. Indeed, lower courts are split over whether a plaintiff must show that his or her disability was a “motivating factor” in the employment decision at issue or that “but for” the disability, the personnel action would not have occurred. In a recent case, however, the Fourth Circuit determined that a plaintiff must meet the more demanding standard and show that “but for” the disability, the employer would not have taken action. Gentry v. East West Partners Management Co., Inc., et al., No. 14-2382, 2016 WL 851673 (4th Cir. 2016).
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