HEDRICK v. WESTERN RESERVE CARE SYSTEM Case Brief
Complete case briefs with LSD+
Every LSD.Law brief pairs a full IRAC analysis with opinion summaries at three levels of depth, written by a team of Harvard Law and MIT graduates - a quick synopsis when you are pressed for time, the complete reasoning when you need to go deep.
Adaptive Case Views
Toggle between Flash, Standard, and Expanded. Get what you need, when you need it.
Exam-Ready IRAC Format
We deliver the precise structure professors look for in exam answers.
Complex Cases, Clarified
We break down dense legal reasoning into something digestible, helping you grasp core concepts.
Case Brief Summary & Legal Analysis
tl;dr: An employer offered a disabled nurse a comparable job as an accommodation. After she rejected it due to its low salary, the court held the employer had fulfilled its duty under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the employee was no longer a “qualified individual.”
Legal Significance: An employee who rejects an employer’s offer of a reasonable accommodation is no longer considered a “qualified individual with a disability” under the ADA. An employer is not required to provide the employee’s preferred accommodation, only a reasonable one.
HEDRICK v. WESTERN RESERVE CARE SYSTEM Law School Study Guide
Use this case brief structure for your own legal analysis. Focus on the IRAC methodology to excel in law school exams and cold calls.
Case Facts & Court Holding
Key Facts & Case Background
Plaintiff Joanne Hedrick, a registered nurse for defendant Western Reserve Care System (WRCS) for 22 years, developed osteoarthritis that prevented her from performing her bedside nursing duties. At her request, WRCS placed her on its “ADA list” to find a suitable alternative position. WRCS informed Hedrick of an opening for a referral center scheduler. During the interview process, Hedrick learned the salary and indicated she was not interested in the position because the pay was too low. Although no formal offer was made, Hedrick acknowledged the job was hers if she wanted it. She subsequently applied for several vacant case manager and quality assurance positions but was not selected. WRCS stated it hired other, more qualified applicants for those roles. Hedrick filed suit, alleging discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for failure to accommodate and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) for failure to hire her for the other positions.
Court Holding & Legal Precedent
Issue: Does an employer satisfy its duty of reasonable accommodation under the ADA by making a comparable vacant position available to a disabled employee, thereby disqualifying the employee as a “qualified individual with a disability” if she rejects that accommodation?
Yes. The court affirmed summary judgment for the employer. WRCS satisfied its Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepte
IRAC Legal Analysis
About IRAC analysis
IRAC (Issue, Rule, Analysis, Conclusion) is the structure professors expect in exam answers. Each LSD.Law brief states the issue, the governing rule with citations, the court's application of that rule, and the conclusion - the same reasoning pattern you will use on exams and in practice.
Legal Issue
Does an employer satisfy its duty of reasonable accommodation under the ADA by making a comparable vacant position available to a disabled employee, thereby disqualifying the employee as a “qualified individual with a disability” if she rejects that accommodation?
Conclusion
This case establishes that an employee's rejection of a valid, reasonable accommodation Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor i
Legal Rule
Under the ADA, an employee who rejects a reasonable accommodation that is Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.
Legal Analysis
The court's analysis focused on whether Hedrick was a "qualified individual with Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam,
Flash-to-Full Case Opinions
Flash Summary
- An employee who rejects a reasonable accommodation offered by an employer