Davis v. Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

Davis v. Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority

What Happened

Davis, an employee of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), sued claiming his employer broke their employment contract. Davis had been fired after arriving late to a scheduled drug test and was denied access to the employee assistance program—a support service for workers with substance issues—because he had tested positive for drugs within the previous three years.

The Court's Decision

The court sided with WMATA. It upheld the decision made by an arbitration board (a neutral panel that hears disputes) that Davis was properly terminated for cause. The court confirmed that WMATA was justified in denying him access to the employee assistance program based on his prior positive test result within three years.

Why This Matters for Workers

This ruling shows that employers can enforce workplace policies around drug testing and attendance at scheduled tests. It also demonstrates that companies can set eligibility rules for support programs, such as limiting access based on recent positive tests. Workers should understand that missing required drug tests and prior violations can have serious employment consequences.