Steve Sarkisian Files Wrongful Termination Lawsuit Against USC Trojans; Claims Discrimination Based on Alcoholism

In early October, the University of Southern California fired Steve Sarkisian, its head football coach after an incident where he appeared drunk during a speech at a USC event. Copies of hotel and bar receipts allegedly showing Sarkisian’s alcohol consumption far exceeding the norm spread like a wildfire on the internet. 

Yesterday, Sarkisian admitted that he is an alcoholic in a lawsuit that he filed in California Superior Court.  He alleged that the university discriminated against him based on his disability (alcoholism), failed to engage with him in an interactive process to accommodate such disability, and retaliated against him for his request to accommodate his alcoholism. While Sarkisian’s claims are based on violations of California state law, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) covers alcoholism as disability as well, so whether you are in California or any other state, here are the basics that you need to know about providing accommodations under the ADA to employees who are alcoholics:

• Alcoholism is considered a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act. 
• Thus, just as with any other disabled employee, employers are required to provide accommodation to alcoholics who can perform the essential functions of the job with or without a reasonable accommodation, unless doing so would create undue hardship for the employer (e.g., allowing an employee flexible work schedule to attend AA meetings or attend a rehab facility);
• According to the EEOC, “regardless of coverage under the ADA, an individual’s alcoholism or drug addiction cannot be used to shield the employee from the consequences of poor performance or conduct that result from these conditions”; 
• Furthermore, “an employer will always be entitled to discipline an employee for poor performance or misconduct that result from alcoholism or drug addiction”;
• Employers can prohibit the use of alcohol and drugs at work, but must apply that rule to all employees and not just alcoholics; 
• Employers are no permitted to tell coworkers that an employee with a disability is receiving a reasonable accommodation.

Conclusion: While an employer may strictly (and uniformly) enforce a no-drug/no-alcohol policy in the workplace, when it comes to handling employees who are recovering or recovered alcoholics or drug addicts, employers may be required to allow them certain accommodations as prescribed in the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Leiza Dolghih is the founder of Dolghih Law Group PLLC.  She is board certified in labor and employment law and has 16+ years of experience in commercial and employment litigation, including trade secrets and non-compete disputes. You can contact her directly at leiza@dlg-legal.com or (214) 531-2403.