A Denver employee of the U.S. Postal Service failed to show her employer retaliated, discriminated against her or otherwise refused to accommodate her disability, the federal appeals court based in Colorado ruled last month.
Melissa M. Goodson held a variety of jobs within the Postal Service since 1997. After she suffered an on-the-job in jury in 2000, she received permanent medical restrictions. Goodson, who is Black, claimed the Postal Service did not accommodate her disability, reassigned her based on discrimination, and subjected her to a hostile work environment because of her disability, sex and race.
Initially, a trial judge sided with the Postal Service, finding it had legitimate, non-discriminatory reasons for assigning Goodson to certain tasks. Further, not all of the conduct Goodson complained about was subject to a legal challenge.