Collings

Martin Collings and seven other former employees of Longview Fibre Company (“Longview”) appeal the district court’s summary judgment in favor of Longview in the employees’ consolidated employment discrimination action. The employees allege that Longview wrongfully terminated them for their drug addiction disability in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 12111-12117 , and the Washington Law Against Discrimination, ,RCW 49.60.180. The district court found that Longview fired the employees, not because of their alleged drug addiction disability, but because of their drug-related misconduct at the workplace, and the court therefore dismissed their claims. We affirm.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

Each of the eight plaintiffs in this action worked in Longview Fibre Company’s box manufacturing plant in Washington. The plant contained large, fast-moving machinery which, when not handled properly, posed a risk of serious injury.

Longview imposed strict rules prohibiting employee use of drugs at the workplace. As a federal government contractor, Longview was governed by the Drug-Free Workplace Act, 41 U.S.C. §§ 701-707 .

In May 1992, Longview hired the outside firm of…