Father Flanagan's Boys' Home v. Goerke

401 N.W.2d 461, 224 Neb. 731, 2 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 322, 1987 Neb. LEXIS 803, 42 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 36,922
CourtNebraska Supreme Court
DecidedFebruary 20, 1987
DocketNo. 85-325
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 401 N.W.2d 461 (Father Flanagan's Boys' Home v. Goerke) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nebraska Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Father Flanagan's Boys' Home v. Goerke, 401 N.W.2d 461, 224 Neb. 731, 2 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 322, 1987 Neb. LEXIS 803, 42 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 36,922 (Neb. 1987).

Opinions

Per Curiam.

When Father Flanagan’s Boys’ Home discovered that Danny Goerke was an epileptic, it dismissed him from employment as an assistant family teacher. Goerke filed a charge with the Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission, alleging that the home discriminated against him, thereby violating the Nebraska Fair Employment Practice Act, Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 48-1101 through 48-1126 (Reissue 1984). The commission determined that the home had unlawfully discriminated against Goerke and ordered that he be reinstated to his former employment and be paid back wages and benefits. On appeal by the home, the district court reversed the commission’s decision. We affirm.

Our standard of review is controlled by the provisions of [733]*733Neb. Rev. Stat. § 84-918 (Reissue 1981), and we accordingly review the matter de novo on the record. Harris v. Misty Lounge, Inc., 220 Neb. 678, 371 N.W.2d 688 (1985).

Before undertaking that review, however, we sustain the home’s motion to strike those portions of the brief filed by the amici curiae, Epilepsy Foundation of America and Epilepsy Association of Nebraska, Inc., which constitute evidentiary material not received in evidence in this case. A brief may not expand the evidentiary record and must limit itself to arguments supported by the record brought to us. See, Raymond v. Department of Motor Vehicles, 219 Neb. 821, 366 N.W.2d 758 (1985); Snyder v. Nelson, 213 Neb. 605, 331 N.W.2d 252 (1983); Neb. Ct. R. of Prac. 9C(2) (rev. 1986).

In 1966, when he was 7 years old, Goerke suffered a grand mal epileptic seizure, lost consciousness, and experienced convulsions. Therapy involving prescribed medications was commenced and continues to this day. During his youth, Goerke suffered a number of petit mal seizures wherein he experienced a preliminary sense of an impending episode, which was followed approximately IV2 minutes later by a loss of consciousness for approximately 15 seconds. However, Goerke has not experienced a seizure during the last 10 years. Goerke’s physician, a neurologist, reported that the condition has been under control since 1973. Goerke rarely forgets his medication, but even on those rare occasions when he has overlooked his medication seizures have not occurred. On especially stressful days, Goerke increases his medication. Epilepsy does not interfere with Goerke’s mental processes, concentration, or coordination.

The home provides care for and educates boys ranging from 10 to 19 years of age who are homeless, abandoned, neglected, delinquent, or otherwise disadvantaged, and utilizes school and on-campus homes, which are operated through specially trained, married family teaching couples. Family couples, with their own children, live on the home’s campus and are responsible for providing a family environment for the 8 to 10 boys who have been assigned to them. They teach the boys, among other things, self-discipline and socially acceptable living skills, as well as encourage their moral and religious [734]*734development. An assistant teacher is assigned to assist each couple and to take over when the couple is away from the home. When and for how long an assistant is to take over is a matter negotiated and arranged between the assistant and the particular couple to whom the assistant has been assigned. The assistant does most of the driving required to take the boys to various appointments, activities, and places of employment. The boys themselves are not allowed to drive.

In 1983, Goerke applied for a job as an assistant family teacher at the home. In his written application for employment, Goerke stated that he had no physical handicaps which would impair his ability to perform the job. He so answered because he believed that his history of past seizures would not impair his ability to do the job. When asked about his physical health during one of the six or seven oral interviews the home conducted, Goerke said he was in good health except for a bad knee. The only job qualifications of which he was advised were the requirements that he have a valid driver’s license and a high school diploma. Goerke was a high school graduate and possessed a Minnesota driver’s license, which he has continually held since the age of 16. Goerke has been involved in two motor vehicle accidents in his lifetime. One accident was a minor collision attributable to icy roads, and the other was a single-car accident when he was a high school student. Neither incident involved any aspect of epilepsy as a factor in the accident.

Goerke had previously worked for 6 months at a juvenile correctional facility for 12- to 18-year-old boys, operated by the State of Minnesota. The facility was located in a relatively isolated area approximately 50 miles from the nearest town. Goerke’s duties included assigning the juveniles work duties, monitoring their behavior, and taking care of medical emergencies as a trained emergency medical technician. His duties also required a considerable amount of driving, including transporting juveniles by vehicle into town for medical appointments and other purposes, and obtaining equipment and supplies for the facility. Goerke had no difficulty making such trips.

Goerke was hired by the home and began his job training with a couple to whom he was assigned at the home. According [735]*735to the schedule negotiated with this couple, Goerke was to work every other weekend, during which time the couple would be away from the home, and, in addition, was to work from 2:30 to 10:30 p.m. 5 days per week. During these periods, Goerke was to assist the operation of a motivational system, oversee the boys’ activities, prepare meals as needed, develop relationships with the boys, and assist them. Additionally, he was to drive the boys as circumstances required and to accompany the couple and the household members on trips to Lake Okoboji. Goerke expected to live away from the home and drive to work.

The amount of work-related driving required of an assistant varies from one couple to another. Although there is no evidence as to what percentage of his time Goerke would spend driving, there is evidence that some assistants devote as much as half their employment time to duties in which driving is required.

Goerke was discharged from his employment at the home near the end of his training period and before he had driven any of the boys anywhere. The discharge came about after he asked the couple to whom he had been assigned where he might store his medication. At this point the fact that Goerke suffered from epilepsy was revealed. The home then informed him it had a policy prohibiting epileptics from serving as assistant family teachers. It should perhaps be noted at this point that the parties raise no issue as to whether Goerke was required by law to have a Nebraska driver’s license. See Neb. Rev. Stat. §§ 60-403 and 60-410 (Reissue 1984).

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FATHER FLANAGAN'S BOYS'HOME v. Goerke
401 N.W.2d 461 (Nebraska Supreme Court, 1987)

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401 N.W.2d 461, 224 Neb. 731, 2 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 322, 1987 Neb. LEXIS 803, 42 Empl. Prac. Dec. (CCH) 36,922, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/father-flanagans-boys-home-v-goerke-neb-1987.