April 16, 2015
The Am Law Litigation Daily named Helgi Walker as its Litigator of the Week for her success on behalf of Ford Motor Co. before the en banc Sixth Circuit. The full Court, reversing a panel decision, held that, under the Americans with Disabilities Act ("ADA"), physical attendance is an essential function of most jobs and thus employers generally need not provide unpredictable telecommuting arrangements as an accommodation. The article noted the “collective sigh of relief after [Walker] convinced the full Sixth Circuit to shut down the EEOC’s case” and explained that, “[i]n adopting Walker’s arguments, the Sixth Circuit reassured defendants that the ADA’s mandate for accommodation doesn’t trump employers’ need to count on their employees." The feature was published on April 16, 2015.