{"attribution":{"source":"legal.exploreworldai.com","canonical":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/judgment-text?id=us:ca11-25-10656-2026-08-20","cite_as":"NovaCopilot, legal.exploreworldai.com (https://legal.exploreworldai.com/api/public/v1/judgment-text?id=us:ca11-25-10656-2026-08-20)","license":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/revision","version":"legal-2026-10-12","fingerprint":"ewai:us:2a3d67","proof":"sha256:0ae3db88b9833bbf308ea8baf2bce56fd9c979635d393fdf7cf7cec6cd5b97c6","jurisdiction":"us","lang":"en","publisher":"NovaCopilot by ExploreWorld Legal","terms":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/om"},"brand_source":"Source: NovaCopilot","item":{"schema_version":"1.0.0","id":"us:ca11-25-10656-2026-08-20","jurisdiction":"us","lang":"en","brand_source":"Source: NovaCopilot","brand":{"product":"NovaCopilot","platform":"ExploreWorldAI","infrastructure":"ExploreWorld Legal","infrastructure_url":"legal.exploreworldai.com","legal_entity":"Valkiv Ventures AB","permanent_url":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/novacopilot","source":"Source: NovaCopilot","powered_by":"Powered by NovaCopilot","license":"https://legal.exploreworldai.com/licensvillkor"},"sections":[{"title":"Front matter","paragraphs":["para_1","para_2","para_3","para_4","para_5","para_6","para_7","para_8","para_9","para_10","para_11","para_12","para_13","para_14","para_15","para_16","para_17","para_18","para_19","para_20","para_21","para_22","para_23","para_24","para_25","para_26","para_27","para_28","para_29","para_30","para_31","para_32","para_33","para_34","para_35","para_36","para_37","para_38","para_39","para_40","para_41","para_42","para_43","para_44","para_45","para_46","para_47","para_48","para_49","para_50","para_51","para_52","para_53","para_54","para_55","para_56","para_57","para_58","para_59","para_60","para_61","para_62","para_63","para_64","para_65","para_66","para_67","para_68","para_69","para_70","para_71","para_72","para_73","para_74","para_75","para_76","para_77","para_78","para_79","para_80","para_81","para_82","para_83","para_84","para_85","para_86","para_87","para_88","para_89","para_90","para_91","para_92","para_93","para_94","para_95","para_96","para_97","para_98","para_99","para_100","para_101","para_102","para_103","para_104","para_105","para_106","para_107","para_108","para_109","para_110","para_111","para_112","para_113","para_114","para_115","para_116","para_117","para_118","para_119","para_120","para_121","para_122","para_123","para_124","para_125","para_126","para_127","para_128","para_129","para_130","para_131","para_132","para_133","para_134","para_135","para_136","para_137","para_138","para_139","para_140","para_141","para_142","para_143","para_144","para_145","para_146","para_147","para_148","para_149","para_150","para_151","para_152","para_153","para_154","para_155","para_156","para_157","para_158","para_159","para_160","para_161","para_162","para_163","para_164","para_165","para_166","para_167","para_168","para_169","para_170","para_171","para_172","para_173","para_174","para_175","para_176","para_177","para_178","para_179","para_180","para_181","para_182","para_183","para_184","para_185","para_186","para_187","para_188","para_189","para_190","para_191","para_192","para_193","para_194","para_195","para_196","para_197","para_198","para_199","para_200","para_201","para_202","para_203","para_204","para_205","para_206","para_207","para_208","para_209","para_210","para_211","para_212","para_213","para_214","para_215","para_216","para_217","para_218","para_219","para_220","para_221","para_222","para_223","para_224","para_225","para_226","para_227","para_228","para_229","para_230","para_231","para_232","para_233","para_234","para_235","para_236","para_237","para_238","para_239","para_240","para_241","para_242","para_243","para_244","para_245","para_246","para_247","para_248","para_249","para_250","para_251","para_252","para_253","para_254","para_255","para_256","para_257","para_258","para_259","para_260","para_261","para_262","para_263","para_264","para_265","para_266","para_267","para_268","para_269","para_270","para_271","para_272","para_273","para_274","para_275","para_276","para_277","para_278","para_279","para_280","para_281","para_282","para_283","para_284","para_285","para_286","para_287","para_288","para_289","para_290","para_291","para_292","para_293","para_294","para_295","para_296","para_297","para_298","para_299","para_300","para_301","para_302","para_303","para_304","para_305","para_306","para_307"],"kind":"front_matter"}],"paragraphs":[{"text":"FOR PUBLICATION","paragraph_id":"para_1"},{"text":"In the","paragraph_id":"para_2"},{"text":"United States Court of Appeals","paragraph_id":"para_3"},{"text":"For the Eleventh Circuit","paragraph_id":"para_4"},{"text":"____________________","paragraph_id":"para_5"},{"text":"No. 25-10656","paragraph_id":"para_6"},{"text":"____________________","paragraph_id":"para_7"},{"text":"ANNETTE KINGSOLVER,","paragraph_id":"para_8"},{"text":"Plaintiff-Appellant,","paragraph_id":"para_9"},{"text":"versus","paragraph_id":"para_10"},{"text":"U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL,","paragraph_id":"para_11"},{"text":"UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE,","paragraph_id":"para_12"},{"text":"BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, AND FIREARMS,","paragraph_id":"para_13"},{"text":"Defendants-Appellees.","paragraph_id":"para_14"},{"text":"____________________","paragraph_id":"para_15"},{"text":"Appeal from the United States District Court","paragraph_id":"para_16"},{"text":"for the Southern District of Georgia","paragraph_id":"para_17"},{"text":"D.C. Docket No. 2:23-cv-00058-LGW-BWC","paragraph_id":"para_18"},{"text":"____________________","paragraph_id":"para_19"},{"text":"Before WILLIAM PRYOR, Chief Judge, and JILL PRYOR and BRASHER,","paragraph_id":"para_20"},{"text":"Circuit Judges.","paragraph_id":"para_21"},{"text":"USCA11 Case: 25-10656 Document: 55-1 Date Filed: 08/20/2026 Page: 1 of 12","paragraph_id":"para_22"},{"text":"2 Opinion of the Court 25-10656","paragraph_id":"para_23"},{"text":"BRASHER, Circuit Judge:","paragraph_id":"para_24"},{"text":"This appeal is about an employee’s request for accommoda-","paragraph_id":"para_25"},{"text":"tion under the Rehabilitation Act. Annette Kingsolver was a gov-","paragraph_id":"para_26"},{"text":"ernment employee who suffered from depression and cardiac ar-","paragraph_id":"para_27"},{"text":"rhythmia. As an accommodation for these conditions, she re-","paragraph_id":"para_28"},{"text":"quested unpaid leave, a lateral transfer to a comparable position, or","paragraph_id":"para_29"},{"text":"other undefined help. In response, her supervisors offered her flex-","paragraph_id":"para_30"},{"text":"ible use of her accrued paid leave and, because there were no com-","paragraph_id":"para_31"},{"text":"parable positions for which she was qualified, offered her a demo-","paragraph_id":"para_32"},{"text":"tion instead of a lateral transfer. She then requested and received","paragraph_id":"para_33"},{"text":"the demotion, which accommodated her health concerns.","paragraph_id":"para_34"},{"text":"Kingsolver filed an Equal Employment Opportunity com-","paragraph_id":"para_35"},{"text":"plaint and later a judicial complaint alleging disability discrimina-","paragraph_id":"para_36"},{"text":"tion. She argued that she was coerced into requesting the demotion","paragraph_id":"para_37"},{"text":"and that her supervisors failed to offer her reasonable accommoda-","paragraph_id":"para_38"},{"text":"tion. The district court granted summary judgment to the govern-","paragraph_id":"para_39"},{"text":"ment, concluding that Kingsolver had received the accommoda-","paragraph_id":"para_40"},{"text":"tion that she requested and her request had not been coerced. King-","paragraph_id":"para_41"},{"text":"solver appealed, arguing that there were disputes of material fact","paragraph_id":"para_42"},{"text":"about whether she experienced disability discrimination and","paragraph_id":"para_43"},{"text":"whether her demotion request was coerced.","paragraph_id":"para_44"},{"text":"We must answer two related questions. Did the govern-","paragraph_id":"para_45"},{"text":"ment have a duty to offer other accommodations to Kingsolver in","paragraph_id":"para_46"},{"text":"addition to the flexible use of paid leave and a demotion? Did the","paragraph_id":"para_47"},{"text":"government discriminate against Kingsolver when it demoted her","paragraph_id":"para_48"},{"text":"USCA11 Case: 25-10656 Document: 55-1 Date Filed: 08/20/2026 Page: 2 of 12","paragraph_id":"para_49"},{"text":"25-10656 Opinion of the Court 3","paragraph_id":"para_50"},{"text":"because of her disability? We answer both questions in the nega-","paragraph_id":"para_51"},{"text":"tive, and, accordingly, we affirm.","paragraph_id":"para_52"},{"text":"I.","paragraph_id":"para_53"},{"text":"Annette Kingsolver was an employee at the Bureau of Alco-","paragraph_id":"para_54"},{"text":"hol, Tobacco, and Firearms who suffered from clinical depression","paragraph_id":"para_55"},{"text":"and cardiac arrhythmia. For several years, she worked in a GS-7","paragraph_id":"para_56"},{"text":"position. But after a desk audit found that Kingsolver was working","paragraph_id":"para_57"},{"text":"above her grade level, she was promoted to a GS-9 position. Both","paragraph_id":"para_58"},{"text":"positions required her to use the Financial Resource System.","paragraph_id":"para_59"},{"text":"After that promotion, Kingsolver began experiencing in-","paragraph_id":"para_60"},{"text":"creased stress related to the Financial Resource System and her job","paragraph_id":"para_61"},{"text":"duties. She complained to her supervisors, explaining that the Fi-","paragraph_id":"para_62"},{"text":"nancial Resource System was worsening her depression and car-","paragraph_id":"para_63"},{"text":"diac arrhythmia. During a meeting with one supervisor, Abra Lat-","paragraph_id":"para_64"},{"text":"tany-Reed, Kingsolver asked for leave without pay, a lateral trans-","paragraph_id":"para_65"},{"text":"fer to a comparable position, or anything else that would help.","paragraph_id":"para_66"},{"text":"Reed told Kingsolver that she could not take leave without pay;","paragraph_id":"para_67"},{"text":"instead, she had to exhaust her roughly 240 hours of paid annual","paragraph_id":"para_68"},{"text":"and sick leave. Kingsolver responded that she wanted to save her","paragraph_id":"para_69"},{"text":"annual and sick leave in case of a family emergency.","paragraph_id":"para_70"},{"text":"Kingsolver continued to ask Reed and her other supervisor,","paragraph_id":"para_71"},{"text":"Thomas Brandon, for one of three accommodations (leave without","paragraph_id":"para_72"},{"text":"pay, lateral transfer, or anything else that would help) over the next","paragraph_id":"para_73"},{"text":"several months. At first, Reed and Brandon responded by telling","paragraph_id":"para_74"},{"text":"Kingsolver that leave without pay was not an option and that the","paragraph_id":"para_75"},{"text":"USCA11 Case: 25-10656 Document: 55-1 Date Filed: 08/20/2026 Page: 3 of 12","paragraph_id":"para_76"},{"text":"4 Opinion of the Court 25-10656","paragraph_id":"para_77"},{"text":"only available position for which she was qualified was a GS-7 po-","paragraph_id":"para_78"},{"text":"sition (a demotion from her current GS-9 position).","paragraph_id":"para_79"},{"text":"Eventually, Kingsolver provided Reed with letters from two","paragraph_id":"para_80"},{"text":"of her doctors that described the link between work-related stress","paragraph_id":"para_81"},{"text":"and her conditions. One of the letters relayed Kingsolver’s asser-","paragraph_id":"para_82"},{"text":"tion that her windowless office had caused some of her stress and","paragraph_id":"para_83"},{"text":"depression. In response to that letter, Reed offered to move King-","paragraph_id":"para_84"},{"text":"solver to an office with a window and to permit her liberal use of","paragraph_id":"para_85"},{"text":"her accrued annual and sick leave.","paragraph_id":"para_86"},{"text":"But these accommodations did not resolve Kingsolver’s","paragraph_id":"para_87"},{"text":"work-related stress. She continued to complain to Reed and Bran-","paragraph_id":"para_88"},{"text":"don about the link between the Financial Resource System and her","paragraph_id":"para_89"},{"text":"health, but she also learned that new GS-9 positions might become","paragraph_id":"para_90"},{"text":"available in several weeks. She decided to wait to see if the posi-","paragraph_id":"para_91"},{"text":"tions became available before she submitted a written request for","paragraph_id":"para_92"},{"text":"accommodation.","paragraph_id":"para_93"},{"text":"While she was waiting, her stress did not resolve. At one","paragraph_id":"para_94"},{"text":"point, she had to leave work due to chest pains. She continued ask-","paragraph_id":"para_95"},{"text":"ing her supervisors for leave without pay, a lateral transfer, or any-","paragraph_id":"para_96"},{"text":"thing else that would help. Her supervisors responded by reassur-","paragraph_id":"para_97"},{"text":"ing her that new positions would soon be available.","paragraph_id":"para_98"},{"text":"After several weeks passed and no new GS-9 positions be-","paragraph_id":"para_99"},{"text":"came available, Kingsolver filed a written request for accommoda-","paragraph_id":"para_100"},{"text":"tion, requesting a transfer to a comparable position. Two days","paragraph_id":"para_101"},{"text":"later, Kingsolver was assigned new duties that she felt were appro-","paragraph_id":"para_102"},{"text":"USCA11 Case: 25-10656 Document: 55-1 Date Filed: 08/20/2026 Page: 4 of 12","paragraph_id":"para_103"},{"text":"25-10656 Opinion of the Court 5","paragraph_id":"para_104"},{"text":"priate for a GS-12 level. She called Reed crying, and she again re-","paragraph_id":"para_105"},{"text":"quested leave without pay or a lateral transfer. Reed responded","paragraph_id":"para_106"},{"text":"that only a GS-7 position was available and that Kingsolver could","paragraph_id":"para_107"},{"text":"not take leave without pay. Kingsolver left work to see her cardiol-","paragraph_id":"para_108"},{"text":"ogist, who told her that she was a candidate for a heart attack and","paragraph_id":"para_109"},{"text":"that she had to make a choice between her health and keeping her","paragraph_id":"para_110"},{"text":"GS-9 position.","paragraph_id":"para_111"},{"text":"The next week, Kingsolver again asked Reed for leave with-","paragraph_id":"para_112"},{"text":"out pay, a lateral transfer, or anything else. Reed again denied her","paragraph_id":"para_113"},{"text":"leave without pay, responded that the only transfer option was to","paragraph_id":"para_114"},{"text":"take the GS-7 position, and told Kingsolver that she needed to give","paragraph_id":"para_115"},{"text":"her an answer by the end of the day if she wanted the transfer.","paragraph_id":"para_116"},{"text":"Kingsolver waited to talk with her husband that evening and did","paragraph_id":"para_117"},{"text":"not provide an answer until Reed asked again the next morning,","paragraph_id":"para_118"},{"text":"when Kingsolver accepted the demotion. Reed dictated to King-","paragraph_id":"para_119"},{"text":"solver what to write on her accommodation request form, which","paragraph_id":"para_120"},{"text":"stated that she would “accept another program area position com-","paragraph_id":"para_121"},{"text":"parable to the Management Analyst position . . . or the GS 07-06","paragraph_id":"para_122"},{"text":"Management Assistant position that [she] previously held.” Dkt.","paragraph_id":"para_123"},{"text":"21-14.","paragraph_id":"para_124"},{"text":"Kingsolver was eventually transferred to the GS-7 role,","paragraph_id":"para_125"},{"text":"which did not involve the Financial Resource System, and her de-","paragraph_id":"para_126"},{"text":"pression and cardiac arrhythmia improved.","paragraph_id":"para_127"},{"text":"Kingsolver contacted the Equal Employment Opportunity","paragraph_id":"para_128"},{"text":"office, filing a formal complaint alleging that her demotion was dis-","paragraph_id":"para_129"},{"text":"criminatory. An EEOC Administrative Judge concluded that the","paragraph_id":"para_130"},{"text":"USCA11 Case: 25-10656 Document: 55-1 Date Filed: 08/20/2026 Page: 5 of 12","paragraph_id":"para_131"},{"text":"6 Opinion of the Court 25-10656","paragraph_id":"para_132"},{"text":"ATF had failed to accommodate Kingsolver, but on appeal the Of-","paragraph_id":"para_133"},{"text":"fice of Federal Operations reversed the damages award and re-","paragraph_id":"para_134"},{"text":"manded for a liability hearing. A different EEOC Administrative","paragraph_id":"para_135"},{"text":"Judge agreed with the first judge, but on appeal the Office of Fed-","paragraph_id":"para_136"},{"text":"eral Operations again reversed and denied Kingsolver’s motion for","paragraph_id":"para_137"},{"text":"reconsideration.","paragraph_id":"para_138"},{"text":"Kingsolver filed a complaint in federal district court against","paragraph_id":"para_139"},{"text":"the Attorney General, the Department of Justice, and the ATF. In","paragraph_id":"para_140"},{"text":"the complaint, she alleged that the government violated the Reha-","paragraph_id":"para_141"},{"text":"bilitation Act by failing to reasonably accommodate her.","paragraph_id":"para_142"},{"text":"After discovery, the parties both moved for summary judg-","paragraph_id":"para_143"},{"text":"ment. The district court granted the government’s motion and de-","paragraph_id":"para_144"},{"text":"nied Kingsolver’s motion. The court assumed without deciding","paragraph_id":"para_145"},{"text":"that Kingsolver was a qualified individual with a disability but con-","paragraph_id":"para_146"},{"text":"cluded that she had failed to prove that she was subjected to disa-","paragraph_id":"para_147"},{"text":"bility discrimination. The court held that her demotion was not dis-","paragraph_id":"para_148"},{"text":"criminatory because Kingsolver had not been coerced into request-","paragraph_id":"para_149"},{"text":"ing it. The court added that her request for a lateral transfer was","paragraph_id":"para_150"},{"text":"unreasonable because it would have required the ATF to create a","paragraph_id":"para_151"},{"text":"new position, and her request for indefinite leave without pay was","paragraph_id":"para_152"},{"text":"also unreasonable.","paragraph_id":"para_153"},{"text":"Kingsolver appealed.","paragraph_id":"para_154"},{"text":"II.","paragraph_id":"para_155"},{"text":"We review de novo the district court’s grant of summary","paragraph_id":"para_156"},{"text":"judgment and apply the same standard used by the district court.","paragraph_id":"para_157"},{"text":"USCA11 Case: 25-10656 Document: 55-1 Date Filed: 08/20/2026 Page: 6 of 12","paragraph_id":"para_158"},{"text":"25-10656 Opinion of the Court 7","paragraph_id":"para_159"},{"text":"Burton v. Tampa Hous. Auth., 271 F.3d 1274, 1276–77 (11th Cir.","paragraph_id":"para_160"},{"text":"2001). All evidence and factual inferences reasonably drawn from","paragraph_id":"para_161"},{"text":"the evidence are viewed in the light most favorable to the non-","paragraph_id":"para_162"},{"text":"moving party. Id. at 1277. Summary judgment may be affirmed “if","paragraph_id":"para_163"},{"text":"there exists any adequate ground for doing so, regardless of","paragraph_id":"para_164"},{"text":"whether it is the one on which the district court relied.” Fitzpatrick","paragraph_id":"para_165"},{"text":"v. City of Atlanta, 2 F.3d 1112, 1117 (11th Cir. 1993).","paragraph_id":"para_166"},{"text":"III.","paragraph_id":"para_167"},{"text":"The Rehabilitation Act bars the federal government from","paragraph_id":"para_168"},{"text":"discriminating against people based on their disabilities. 29 U.S.C.","paragraph_id":"para_169"},{"text":"§ 794(a). The Act incorporates by reference substantive standards","paragraph_id":"para_170"},{"text":"from Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act. 29 U.S.C.","paragraph_id":"para_171"},{"text":"§ 791(f); see 42 U.S.C. § 12112(a). To bring a successful Rehabilita-","paragraph_id":"para_172"},{"text":"tion Act claim, a plaintiff must prove the elements for an ADA","paragraph_id":"para_173"},{"text":"claim: namely, that (1) she is disabled; (2) she was a “qualified indi-","paragraph_id":"para_174"},{"text":"vidual” at the relevant time, meaning that she could perform the","paragraph_id":"para_175"},{"text":"essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accom-","paragraph_id":"para_176"},{"text":"modations; and (3) she was discriminated against because of her","paragraph_id":"para_177"},{"text":"disability. See Lucas v. W.W. Grainger, Inc., 257 F.3d 1249, 1255 (11th","paragraph_id":"para_178"},{"text":"Cir. 2001); Gaston v. Bellingrath Gardens & Home, Inc., 167 F.3d 1361,","paragraph_id":"para_179"},{"text":"1363 (11th Cir. 1999).","paragraph_id":"para_180"},{"text":"The district court assumed without deciding that Kingsolver","paragraph_id":"para_181"},{"text":"is disabled and a qualified individual. For the sake of this appeal, we","paragraph_id":"para_182"},{"text":"do too. But Kingsolver argues that there were disputes of material","paragraph_id":"para_183"},{"text":"fact about whether she experienced disability discrimination be-","paragraph_id":"para_184"},{"text":"USCA11 Case: 25-10656 Document: 55-1 Date Filed: 08/20/2026 Page: 7 of 12","paragraph_id":"para_185"},{"text":"8 Opinion of the Court 25-10656","paragraph_id":"para_186"},{"text":"cause the ATF failed to provide her with a reasonable accommoda-","paragraph_id":"para_187"},{"text":"tion. She also argues that there was evidence that her request for","paragraph_id":"para_188"},{"text":"the GS-7 demotion was coerced. This appeal thus turns on two is-","paragraph_id":"para_189"},{"text":"sues: First, whether the ATF had a duty to offer other accommo-","paragraph_id":"para_190"},{"text":"dations to Kingsolver in addition to the flexible use of her accrued","paragraph_id":"para_191"},{"text":"leave and a GS-7 transfer. Second, whether Kingsolver’s decision to","paragraph_id":"para_192"},{"text":"accept the GS-7 transfer as an accommodation was coerced such","paragraph_id":"para_193"},{"text":"that it was an act of disability discrimination. We discuss each issue","paragraph_id":"para_194"},{"text":"in turn.","paragraph_id":"para_195"},{"text":"A.","paragraph_id":"para_196"},{"text":"As to the first issue, we conclude that the ATF did not have","paragraph_id":"para_197"},{"text":"a duty to provide the other accommodations that Kingsolver re-","paragraph_id":"para_198"},{"text":"quested because they were either not specific or not reasonable. An","paragraph_id":"para_199"},{"text":"employer’s duty to provide a reasonable accommodation is trig-","paragraph_id":"para_200"},{"text":"gered when an employee makes a specific demand for an accom-","paragraph_id":"para_201"},{"text":"modation and establishes that the requested accommodation is rea-","paragraph_id":"para_202"},{"text":"sonable. Owens v. Governor’s Off. of Student Achievement, 52 F.4th","paragraph_id":"para_203"},{"text":"1327, 1334 (11th Cir. 2022). The plaintiff bears the burden of prov-","paragraph_id":"para_204"},{"text":"ing that a reasonable accommodation exists. Terrell v. USAir, 132","paragraph_id":"para_205"},{"text":"F.3d 621, 624 (11th Cir. 1998). Kingsolver alleges that she made","paragraph_id":"para_206"},{"text":"three kinds of accommodation requests in addition to her demo-","paragraph_id":"para_207"},{"text":"tion request: (1) general “help,” (2) lateral transfer to a comparable","paragraph_id":"para_208"},{"text":"position, and (3) leave without pay.","paragraph_id":"para_209"},{"text":"We will address each request in turn.","paragraph_id":"para_210"},{"text":"USCA11 Case: 25-10656 Document: 55-1 Date Filed: 08/20/2026 Page: 8 of 12","paragraph_id":"para_211"},{"text":"25-10656 Opinion of the Court 9","paragraph_id":"para_212"},{"text":"First, Kingsolver’s request for “help” is not a specific request.","paragraph_id":"para_213"},{"text":"An employer has a duty to engage in an interactive process to pro-","paragraph_id":"para_214"},{"text":"vide a reasonable accommodation, but that duty is triggered only","paragraph_id":"para_215"},{"text":"when an employee makes a specific demand. Owens, 52 F.4th at","paragraph_id":"para_216"},{"text":"1334; 42 U.S.C. § 1981a(a)(3). Requesting undefined “help” is not","paragraph_id":"para_217"},{"text":"specific and therefore does not trigger this duty.","paragraph_id":"para_218"},{"text":"Second, Kingsolver’s request for a lateral transfer to a posi-","paragraph_id":"para_219"},{"text":"tion that did not exist is also unreasonable as a matter of law. For","paragraph_id":"para_220"},{"text":"reassignment to a new job to be a reasonable accommodation, the","paragraph_id":"para_221"},{"text":"employee must be qualified for that new job. EEOC v. St. Joseph’s","paragraph_id":"para_222"},{"text":"Hosp., Inc., 842 F.3d 1333, 1344 (11th Cir. 2016). An employer is not","paragraph_id":"para_223"},{"text":"required to create a new position or displace other employees to","paragraph_id":"para_224"},{"text":"accommodate a disabled employee. See Terrell, 132 F.3d at 626–27.","paragraph_id":"para_225"},{"text":"The record contains no evidence that comparable GS-9 positions","paragraph_id":"para_226"},{"text":"for which Kingsolver was qualified existed when Kingsolver re-","paragraph_id":"para_227"},{"text":"quested a lateral transfer. A lateral transfer would thus have re-","paragraph_id":"para_228"},{"text":"quired the ATF to create a new position, which is unreasonable.","paragraph_id":"para_229"},{"text":"Third, Kingsolver’s request for additional leave without pay,","paragraph_id":"para_230"},{"text":"instead of using her available leave with pay, was unreasonable. In","paragraph_id":"para_231"},{"text":"response to Kingsolver’s request for leave, her supervisors offered","paragraph_id":"para_232"},{"text":"her flexible use of her existing 240 hours of paid annual and sick","paragraph_id":"para_233"},{"text":"leave. Kingsolver had requested leave “simply to get away from the","paragraph_id":"para_234"},{"text":"stress and get herself together.” Dkt. 30 at 16. The ATF’s offer of","paragraph_id":"para_235"},{"text":"paid leave under its existing policies was a reasonable accommoda-","paragraph_id":"para_236"},{"text":"tion to that request. See Lucas, 257 F.3d at 1255.","paragraph_id":"para_237"},{"text":"USCA11 Case: 25-10656 Document: 55-1 Date Filed: 08/20/2026 Page: 9 of 12","paragraph_id":"para_238"},{"text":"10 Opinion of the Court 25-10656","paragraph_id":"para_239"},{"text":"Nothing about Kingsolver’s disability required the ATF to","paragraph_id":"para_240"},{"text":"offer her unpaid leave in addition to her existing paid leave. King-","paragraph_id":"para_241"},{"text":"solver never suggested that her 240 hours of paid leave were insuf-","paragraph_id":"para_242"},{"text":"ficient; she just preferred not to use those hours.1 Whether King-","paragraph_id":"para_243"},{"text":"solver’s leave was paid or unpaid also had no bearing on the use-","paragraph_id":"para_244"},{"text":"fulness of the leave as an accommodation; the category of leave did","paragraph_id":"para_245"},{"text":"not affect Kingsolver’s ability to “get away from the stress and get","paragraph_id":"para_246"},{"text":"herself together.” Dkt. 30 at 16. And Kingsolver’s reasons for refus-","paragraph_id":"para_247"},{"text":"ing the offer of paid leave (e.g., wanting to preserve it for vacations,","paragraph_id":"para_248"},{"text":"family emergencies, and the like) had nothing to do with her disa-","paragraph_id":"para_249"},{"text":"bility.","paragraph_id":"para_250"},{"text":"The ATF offered Kingsolver a reasonable accommodation","paragraph_id":"para_251"},{"text":"when it offered her flexible use of her paid leave, but she declined","paragraph_id":"para_252"},{"text":"to take it. The ADA and Rehabilitation Act do not demand that an","paragraph_id":"para_253"},{"text":"employer create a disability-specific program to accommodate an","paragraph_id":"para_254"},{"text":"employee when an existing program already provides the accom-","paragraph_id":"para_255"},{"text":"modation that the employee needs. See Stewart v. Happy Herman’s","paragraph_id":"para_256"},{"text":"Cheshire Bridge, Inc., 117 F.3d 1278, 1286 (11th Cir. 1997) (“[U]nder","paragraph_id":"para_257"},{"text":"the ADA a qualified individual with a disability is not entitled to the","paragraph_id":"para_258"},{"text":"1 Because Kingsolver never used her existing leave or suggested that she","paragraph_id":"para_259"},{"text":"needed more time than she had accrued in leave, she seems to be requesting","paragraph_id":"para_260"},{"text":"indefinite leave, which would have been unreasonable. See Wood v. Green, 323","paragraph_id":"para_261"},{"text":"F.3d 1309, 1314 (11th Cir. 2003) (holding that a request for leave without an","paragraph_id":"para_262"},{"text":"end date is unreasonable). But we will assume without deciding that her re-","paragraph_id":"para_263"},{"text":"quest contemplated some kind of end date.","paragraph_id":"para_264"},{"text":"USCA11 Case: 25-10656 Document: 55-1 Date Filed: 08/20/2026 Page: 10 of 12","paragraph_id":"para_265"},{"text":"25-10656 Opinion of the Court 11","paragraph_id":"para_266"},{"text":"accommodation of her choice, but only to a reasonable accommo-","paragraph_id":"para_267"},{"text":"dation.” (citation modified)).","paragraph_id":"para_268"},{"text":"In sum, the ATF did not have a duty to provide the other","paragraph_id":"para_269"},{"text":"accommodations that Kingsolver requested.","paragraph_id":"para_270"},{"text":"B.","paragraph_id":"para_271"},{"text":"We also conclude that no reasonable jury could find that","paragraph_id":"para_272"},{"text":"Kingsolver was demoted as an act of disability discrimination. An","paragraph_id":"para_273"},{"text":"employer may not take an adverse employment action against an","paragraph_id":"para_274"},{"text":"employee “because of [her] disability.” Greenberg v. BellSouth Tele-","paragraph_id":"para_275"},{"text":"comms., Inc., 498 F.3d 1258, 1263 (11th Cir. 2007) (citation modi-","paragraph_id":"para_276"},{"text":"fied); see also 42 U.S.C. § 12112(a). Kingsolver argues that she was","paragraph_id":"para_277"},{"text":"discriminated against because she was coerced into accepting a de-","paragraph_id":"para_278"},{"text":"motion because of her disability. We disagree.","paragraph_id":"para_279"},{"text":"No reasonable jury could conclude that Kingsolver was co-","paragraph_id":"para_280"},{"text":"erced into accepting a demotion. We consider several factors when","paragraph_id":"para_281"},{"text":"evaluating whether an employer coerced an employee, including","paragraph_id":"para_282"},{"text":"whether the employee had any alternatives, whether the employee","paragraph_id":"para_283"},{"text":"understood the nature of the choice, and whether the employee","paragraph_id":"para_284"},{"text":"had advice of counsel and time to decide. See Hargray v. City of","paragraph_id":"para_285"},{"text":"Hallandale, 57 F.3d 1560, 1568 (11th Cir. 1995). The undisputed","paragraph_id":"para_286"},{"text":"facts establish that Kingsolver had at least one alternative accom-","paragraph_id":"para_287"},{"text":"modation, i.e., using her paid leave. The record also reflects that","paragraph_id":"para_288"},{"text":"she understood the nature of the choice because she had been","paragraph_id":"para_289"},{"text":"aware for several weeks before accepting the demotion that there","paragraph_id":"para_290"},{"text":"were no available GS-9 positions. When a GS-7 position eventually","paragraph_id":"para_291"},{"text":"became available, Kingsolver’s supervisor gave her several hours","paragraph_id":"para_292"},{"text":"USCA11 Case: 25-10656 Document: 55-1 Date Filed: 08/20/2026 Page: 11 of 12","paragraph_id":"para_293"},{"text":"12 Opinion of the Court 25-10656","paragraph_id":"para_294"},{"text":"to consider it. Ultimately, Kingsolver requested the transfer to a","paragraph_id":"para_295"},{"text":"lower-level position, was happy when it was granted, and experi-","paragraph_id":"para_296"},{"text":"enced improved symptoms upon receiving the demotion.","paragraph_id":"para_297"},{"text":"Kingsolver protests that she was coerced into requesting a","paragraph_id":"para_298"},{"text":"demotion by the ATF’s decision to deny her request for unpaid","paragraph_id":"para_299"},{"text":"leave. But, again, that argument wrongly presupposes that her em-","paragraph_id":"para_300"},{"text":"ployer had a duty to provide unpaid leave. See Stewart, 117 F.3d at","paragraph_id":"para_301"},{"text":"1286. 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