Michael Garedakis v. Brentwood Union School Dist.

**School Employee's Disability Discrimination Case Has Mixed Results** This case involved Michael Garedakis, who worked for Brentwood Union School District and claimed the district discriminated against him because of his disability. He alleged that his employer failed to provide reasonable accommodations for his condition and created a hostile work environment. Garedakis filed claims under both federal disability laws (the Americans with Disabilities Act and Rehabilitation Act) and California state laws. The federal appeals court sided with the school district on the federal disability claims, upholding a lower court's decision to dismiss them. However, the court gave Garedakis another chance on some of his California state law claims. The appeals court found there were disputed facts that needed to be resolved at trial, particularly regarding claims that fell under California's special rules for childhood sexual abuse cases and government employers. **What this means for workers:** This case shows that even when federal disability discrimination claims fail, state laws may still provide protection. Workers facing disability discrimination should know they may have multiple legal options available. It also demonstrates that courts will carefully examine whether there are genuine factual disputes that deserve a full trial rather than dismissing cases too quickly.