"A ruling by a federal appeals court that 'sleeping,
engaging in sexual relations, and interacting
with others are 'major life activities'' under the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) could create
headaches for employers. The U.S. 9th Circuit
Court of Appeals found that the question of
whether an employee faced substantial limitations
in his ability to work was 'irrelevant to whether his
limitations in other major life activities qualify him
as disabled for ADA purposes'. (McAlindin v.
County of San Diego), No.9756787
The case involved Richard McAlindin who
began working as a systems analyst in 1983 for San
Diego County. Doctors diagnosed him as suffering
from anxiety and panic disorders, and he took a
stress-related disability leave in 1992. In 1993, the
county required him to undergo a psychiatric exam
to evaluate his ability to return to work. A
psychiatrist found that McAlindin needed more
aggressive medications and psychotherapy in order
to be able to return to work. McAlindin said that,
when he returned to work, his supervisors had mistreated
him. He sued under the ADA." [Mental Health Law Reporter, Vol. 17, No. 12, December 1999:89]