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ADA

How to handle disabled applicants who bring a ‘Job coach’ to the interview

03/01/2007

In many states, vocational programs pair disabled residents with “job coaches,” who help them find appropriate work and adapt to those jobs. Since the ADA also requires employers to make reasonable accommodations during the hiring process, make sure job coaches are welcome in your interviews …

Offer half-Day FMLA leave regardless of the burden

03/01/2007

It’s important to know how your responsibilities differ under the ADA and the FMLA. The ADA requires you to allow part-time work as an accommodation only if doing so is reasonable for your company’s operations. But under the FMLA, employees have the unconditional right to intermittent leave, including working part-time for an extended period …

You can suggest FMLA leave without triggering ADA liability

03/01/2007

What do you do if you think an employee, especially one whose performance is declining, could benefit from taking FMLA leave? Do you plant the suggestion or wait until the employee approaches you? The fact is, you can suggest FMLA leave for a serious health condition and not run afoul of the ADA …


Release EAP information on a ‘Need to know’ basis

03/01/2007

Employee assistance programs (EAPs) can help employees regain an edge lost to problems like alcohol abuse. But it’s a good idea to keep mum about an employee’s participation in the EAP …

When are overweight employees considered ‘Disabled’?

03/01/2007

Is obesity a disability? Until recently, the answer has been “Fat chance!” But that may be changing. A recent ADA court ruling opens the door to some types of obesity being defined as disabilities …

Can we require medical tests or treatment?

03/01/2007

Q. I’m confused about when we can require physical exams or treatment. We now make employees undergo a fitness-for-duty exam when we think there is a physical or psychological reason that impairs the employee’s ability to perform the job. We also use last-chance agreements requiring medical treatment for an employee to earn reinstatement after a discharge, such as for alcohol or drug abuse. Are we courting trouble? —D.J., Michigan

How to respond when employees show mental instability

03/01/2007

A star employee tells you his new depression medicine makes it impossible for him to get to work on time. Must you alter his schedule? …

Understanding religious accommodations in Georgia workplaces

03/01/2007

Georgia mirrors America’s growing diversity in many ways. Today, mosques occupy old churches; many workers wear burqas and yarmulkes; and some employees request “prayer breaks.” Religious diversity is a reason for celebration, but it also presents challenges in the workplace …

Don’t single out disabled applicants for special treatment

03/01/2007

If you hire emotionally disabled employees, be sure to integrate them into your regular staff meetings and events. Avoid treating them as a separate (even if equal) component of your work force …

How to comply with state’s new Mental Health Parity Law

03/01/2007

Shortly before leaving office, Gov. Pataki signed New York’s Mental Health Parity Law, which requires insurers to provide mental health benefits in all health insurance policies issued in the state …