NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A former Tennessee correctional officer will receive $160,000 in back pay and damages after he was forced to resign for taking Suboxone to treat his opioid use disorder, if a judge approves a landmark consent decree filed in federal court in Nashville on Wednesday.
In the present case, the complainant, who is not identified by name, was hired as a correctional officer at the Cumberland County jail in January 2015. He received positive employment evaluations and was even promoted, but when a drug screen showed he was taking Suboxone to treat his opioid addiction in 2018, he was given the choice of resigning or being fired for drug use.
In addition to providing $160,000 to the former employee, the county has agreed to revise its employment policies and implement training around ADA compliance as part of a consent decree also filed Wednesday. The decree won’t become final until approved by a judge. An initial case management conference is scheduled for Friday.Drugs like Suboxone often carry a stigma because they contain opioids, but Dr.