Waste Management Worker Fired Over Pacemaker Gets Job Bias Trial

A jury could reject Waste Management of Louisiana LLC’s explanation that it terminated a container technician because his new pacemaker left him unable to perform the key job duty of welding, a federal judge ruled.

Kevin Trevino’s evidence raises a factual dispute on whether welding was truly an essential function of his position, the US District Court for the Western District of Louisiana said. If a trial shows it wasn’t essential, the company could be liable for disability discrimination, the court said.

Trevino routinely performed some welding prior to having the pacemaker installed for his irregular heartbeat, Judge David C. ...