Feds to Trucking Company: You Cannot Fire Alcoholic Drivers
1st September 2011
The federal government has sued a major trucking company for its firing of driver with an admitted alcohol abuse problem.
I feel safer already.
Alcoholism is classified as a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the suit maintains, and therefore employees cannot be prohibited even from driving 18 wheelers due to their histories of abuse.
I’m waiting for them to rule that Bush Derangement Syndrome is classified as a disability under the ADA. Shouldn’t take too long now; it’s pretty widespread.
If the EEOC prevails, of course, it will mean that Old Dominion will still be liable both for any damage to life or property that results from a potential relapse by one of its recovering drivers – which in turn increases the risks involved in investment in the company – and for the cost of trying to ensure that such damage never occurs. All of these new burdens will raise Old Dominion’s cost of doing business, and hence the cost of everything they transport. And all of this can’t possibly ensure that a recovering driver does not relapse without the company’s knowledge.
Whoops, don’t go giving us economics, now — we all know that the government can’t consider any of that; it’s trying to save jobs and fight the recession.