[23-997] Stanley v. City of Sanford, Florida

Stanley v. City of Sanford, Florida

Justia · Docket · oyez.org

Argued on Jan 13, 2025.

Petitioner: Karyn D. Stanley.
Respondent: City of Sanford, Florida.

Advocates:

• Deepak Gupta (for the Petitioner)
• Frederick Liu (for the United States, as amicus curiae, supporting the Petitioner)
• Jessica C. Conner (for the Respondent)

Facts of the case (from oyez.org)

Karyn Stanley, a firefighter for the City of Sanford, Florida, retired due to Parkinson's disease in 2018 after serving for about 19 years. When she joined in 1999, the City's policy provided free health insurance until age 65 for employees retiring due to disability. However, in 2003, the City changed its plan, limiting the health insurance subsidy for disability retirees to 24 months post-retirement. Unaware of this change, Stanley filed suit in April 2020, shortly before her subsidy was set to expire, alleging violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Rehabilitation Act, Florida Civil Rights Act, Equal Protection Clause, and Florida Statutes section 112.0801. The district court dismissed or granted summary judgment on all claims in favor of the City, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit affirmed, relying on (and reaffirming) binding precedent within that circuit that “a Title I plaintiff must ‘hold[ ] or desire[ ]’ an employment position with the defendant at the time of the defendant's allegedly wrongful act.”

Question

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, does a former employee — who was qualified to perform her job and who earned post-employment benefits while employed — lose her right to sue over discrimination with respect to those benefits solely because she no longer holds her job?