INTERRANTE v. MERCK & CO., INC.

Interrante v. Merck & Co., Inc. — Plain English Summary

What Happened

Interrante worked for Merck & Co. and claimed he was fired because of his learning disability. He also said the company failed to reasonably accommodate his disability. According to the case, Interrante climbed into an energized trash compactor at work despite being given clear instructions not to do so.

The Court's Decision

The court sided with Merck. The judge found that Merck fired Interrante for legitimate safety reasons—his dangerous behavior with the trash compactor—not because of his disability. The court also concluded that Merck had already provided reasonable accommodations for his learning disability before he was terminated.

Why This Matters for Workers

This case shows that employers can fire workers for safety violations even if they have disabilities. However, it also confirms that employers must still provide reasonable accommodations for disabilities when possible. Workers with disabilities are protected by law, but that protection doesn't shield them from consequences for genuinely unsafe conduct. The key is whether the firing was truly about the unsafe behavior or actually about the disability itself.