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ADA

Mandatory EAP referral is legal

09/01/2005

Q. In a previous issue of HR Specialist, you said that employers can’t force employees to visit a psychologist. Our Internet policy says that if we find employees accessing pornographic Web sites, they’ll receive a three-day suspension without pay and a mandatory referral to an EAP counselor. Can we require this? —A.C., Maryland

Know your ADA duty to employees with cancer

09/01/2005
The EEOC just published a Q&A document explaining when cancer is a qualified disability under the ADA and how you should accommodate employees with cancer. Reasonable accommodations may include intermittent leave, …

Personality tests: Yours may now be illegal

08/01/2005
If your job-screening process includes personality testing, review that test now to see if it includes any questions that could be considered “medical inquiries” revealing a person’s mental disability. And check …

Employee returning from injury leave? Don’t treat her with ‘kid gloves’

08/01/2005
You may know that the ADA entitles disabled people to reasonable accommodations to allow them to perform their job’s essential functions. But what about employees who have minor medical ailments that …

Dangerous and Disabled: ADA’s ‘Direct Threat’ Rule

08/01/2005

Q. One of our employees, who has diabetes, is on the road a lot tending to patients in their homes. We’ve heard that she is having trouble seeing patient charts and difficulty pricking patients’ fingers for tests. What should we do? —M.J., New Jersey

HIPAA Rules Aren’t Just For Doctors and Hospitals

08/01/2005

Q. I’d like to know if our company needs something like a HIPAA form for employees to sign when we release personal information to others. Is HIPAA only for the medical field? —B.B., New York

Save medical exams for last step in pre-hire screening

08/01/2005
When you or your hiring managers need to fill an open slot fast, it may be tempting to skip steps in the application process. But don’t do it.
Follow the …

Adapt technology to disabled staff … within your means

08/01/2005
Issue: Various new technologies allow disabled people to be productive at work.
Risk: Courts say employers must provide such adaptive technologies in line with their resources.
Action: Here’s how …

Totally disabled employees aren’t eligible for job accommodations

07/01/2005
Employees who ask for and receive disability benefits may sometimes also ask for workplace accommodations for their disabilities. In some cases, they may be entitled to both; in other cases, not. …

Find qualified disabled applicants with DOL’s online network

07/01/2005
The U.S. Labor Department launched a campaign to build awareness of its Employer Assistance & Recruiting Network (EARN), which matches skilled disabled employees with private-sector job openings. The site, www.earnworks.com, has …