Adam Barbour v. Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, United States of America, Intervenor

**Transit Worker Wins Right to Sue for Disability Discrimination** Adam Barbour, a worker at the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA), filed a lawsuit claiming his employer discriminated against him based on his disability and failed to provide reasonable accommodations. WMATA tried to dismiss the case by arguing it had special legal immunity as a government agency that protected it from being sued under federal disability laws. The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in Barbour's favor, allowing his discrimination lawsuit to move forward. The court determined that WMATA gave up its legal immunity when it chose to accept federal transportation funding. Since the agency took federal money, it had to follow federal disability laws and could be held accountable in court when accused of violating those laws. This decision matters for workers because it establishes that government agencies and public employers cannot hide behind legal immunity when they accept federal funds. If your public sector employer receives federal money, they must comply with federal anti-discrimination laws, including providing reasonable accommodations for disabilities. Workers have the right to hold these employers accountable in court when they fail to meet their legal obligations under disability rights laws.