DELLAVOLPE v. City of New York

**What Happened** Police officer Dellavolpe sued the New York City Police Department, claiming the department discriminated against him because of his disability and wrongfully fired him. He also argued that his employer failed to make reasonable changes to help him do his job despite his disability. **What the Court Decided** The court ruled in favor of the New York City Police Department on all claims. The judge dismissed Dellavolpe's federal disability discrimination case completely, meaning he cannot bring this particular claim again in federal court. However, the court dismissed his state disability discrimination claims "without prejudice," which means he could potentially refile those claims in state court instead. **Why This Matters for Workers** This case shows that winning disability discrimination lawsuits against employers can be challenging, especially against government agencies with strong legal defenses. However, it also demonstrates that workers have multiple legal options—if federal claims fail, state laws may still provide protection. Workers facing disability discrimination should know they may need to pursue claims in different courts and under different laws. The outcome reminds workers to carefully document discrimination and ensure they have strong evidence before filing such claims.