Thomas v. PNC Bank, N.A.

# Thomas v. PNC Bank Court Ruling Summary ## What Happened An employee at PNC Bank broke both her hands and was placed on disability leave. After six weeks of recovery, she returned to work. She was later fired and sued the bank, claiming she was discriminated against because the company viewed her as disabled. ## What the Court Decided The court ruled in favor of PNC Bank. The judge found that broken hands healing within six weeks qualify as a "transitory and minor" injury under federal disability law. Because her condition was temporary and brief, the employee could not claim she was protected as a disabled worker under discrimination laws. The court determined she had not proven the bank saw her as disabled when firing her. ## Why This Matters for Workers This ruling narrows disability protections. Short-term injuries—even serious ones like broken bones—may not qualify for legal protection against discrimination. Workers recovering from temporary conditions might have limited recourse if fired during their recovery. However, workers with longer-lasting conditions or those perceived as having permanent disabilities retain stronger legal protections against workplace discrimination.