Sladek v. Brennan

**What Happened** Michael Sladek, a worker at Whitehall Leather Company, became disabled and was receiving disability benefits. His employer offered him what they called "favored work" - a modified job position designed to accommodate his disability. Sladek refused this job offer, and as a result, the company and insurance carrier tried to cut off his disability benefits. They argued that since he turned down work he could potentially do, he was no longer entitled to benefits. **What the Court Decided** The Michigan Supreme Court sided with Sladek and ruled that he could keep his disability benefits. The court said that disabled workers have the right to reasonably refuse offers of modified work from their employers without automatically losing their benefits. The decision must be evaluated based on all circumstances surrounding the situation, not just whether the worker is physically capable of performing the offered job. **Why This Matters for Workers** This ruling protects disabled workers from being forced into unsuitable job modifications. Employers can't simply offer any accommodation and then cut benefits when workers refuse. Workers now have legal backing to turn down modified work arrangements that may be unreasonable, even if they're physically capable of doing the job.