Eeoc v. Bnsf Railway Company

**What Happened** The EEOC sued BNSF Railway Company after the company withdrew a job offer from a worker who couldn't afford to pay for a required MRI scan out of his own pocket. BNSF had offered the person a job but then required medical testing as part of their hiring process. When the applicant couldn't cover the MRI costs upfront, BNSF canceled the job offer entirely. **What the Court Decided** The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the EEOC, agreeing that BNSF violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The court found that requiring job applicants to pay for their own medical tests and then rescinding offers when they can't afford them is discriminatory. The court upheld the lower court's finding that BNSF was liable but sent the case back to determine what kind of nationwide restrictions should be placed on the company's hiring practices. **Why This Matters for Workers** This ruling protects job seekers from having to pay for employer-required medical tests during the hiring process. Employers cannot withdraw job offers simply because applicants cannot afford expensive medical screenings. This ensures that financial barriers don't prevent qualified workers from getting jobs, particularly protecting those with limited resources from disability-based discrimination.