ADA

How to accommodate employees who have Tourette Syndrome

06/13/2024

It may be tempting to place a worker with Tourette Syndrome in a back-of-the-house position out of fear that customers may react badly to the employee’s tics. Such purposeful segregation may violate the ADA. Instead of worrying about public reaction to the tics, focus on how the person’s skills and experience match job requirements.

PWFA and the ADA: How accommodations may differ

05/31/2024

The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act entitles pregnant workers to reasonable accommodations before, during and after pregnancy. These can run the gamut from simple deviations from common workplace rules to granting leave so a new mother can recover from childbirth. PWFA accommodations potentially go far beyond what’s required under the ADA’s reasonable accommodations provisions.

No, you can’t use high medical costs as an excuse to terminate a sick worker

05/13/2024

A car dealership is out $325,000 and must train managers and supervisors on the ADA and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act.

Accommodate neurodiverse employees

04/10/2024

Most organizations probably have at least one employee who fits under the neurodiverse umbrella and who may be entitled to workplace help. While each condition labelled as neurodivergent differs, all share a number of common management strategies that can prove useful in the workplace.

Disability accommodation not working? Restart interactive process before making changes

03/29/2024

Sometimes, an employee’s health condition changes, requiring a modification of a previously chosen accommodation. When that happens, the interactive process must start all over again. Employers cannot unilaterally drop an accommodation or substitute another.

Accommodating staff with anxiety disorders

03/13/2024

The psychological condition known as anxiety disorder is characterized by feelings of worry or fear that are strong enough to interfere with one’s daily activities. It comes in several varieties, including generalized anxiety disorder that has no specific focus and social anxiety disorder, which is triggered by social interactions.

As employer, you get to choose and implement your preferred disability accommodations

03/13/2024

Employers and disabled employees must engage in an “interactive process” to determine what accommodations will allow employees to perform the essential functions of their jobs. If more than one might work, the employer gets to pick which one to implement. Once that’s done, the employer has met its ADA obligations, even if the employee refuses the accommodation.

ADA doesn’t require unlimited leave

02/09/2024

Here’s a powerful reason to require regular attendance as an essential job function: A new federal appeals court decision makes it clear that the ADA’s reasonable accommodations provisions strictly limit time off as a reasonable accommodation when employers can show that a job’s essential functions include showing up for work as scheduled.

Develop a process for extending FMLA leave

01/26/2024

Every employer needs a clear process for handling requests for additional time off after an employee exhausts FMLA leave. How you handle those requests can make the difference between winning and losing a disability discrimination lawsuit.

Beware bad-mouthing effective employees after they request accommodations

01/22/2024

Always keep an eye on the optics of the employment-related actions your organization’s managers take and the decisions they make. Suddenly criticizing an employee who recently sought a disability accommodation, for example, is not just a bad look; it could also trigger a costly lawsuit.

ADA