Professor Paul Secunda on Odell Thurman's EEOC Complaint

The New York Times has a good feature story today on suspended Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Odell Thurman's EEOC complaint, which asserts that the N.F.L. declined to reinstate him because officials believe he is an alcoholic. Ole Miss law professor Paul Secunda, who is an editor of the excellent Workplace Prof Blog, is quoted in the NY Times Story:

“The crux of the complaint is that they have a disability and they are not being reinstated because of that disability,” said Paul M. Secunda, a labor and employment law expert who edits the Workplace Prof Blog. “What we’re talking about is the disability of the player and the rights of the employer to run the N.F.L. as they see fit. It’s, where does the D.U.I. fit it? Does the league have the right to take further action beyond what the criminal court system does?”

Secunda added: “Potentially, these situations are boundless as far as athletes getting in trouble with alcohol- and drug-related cases. It’s the larger debate in society. At what point do people have to take responsibility for their own actions?”

For the rest of the story, click here.