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Naturally, most employers strive to take every legal precaution they can and to put forth their best effort to remain in compliance with all employment laws. Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is no exception.
An obese Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) bus operator alleged he was discriminated against when the agency refused to allow him to return to work following medical leave. A federal court recently said “fat chance” to the CTA’s request for early dismissal of the driver’s Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) claim.
You may be aware of the statistics about the alarming rate of obesity in the United States, and the health issues that come along with it. Citizens here have an impressive level of personal freedom, and many of us use it to pursue happiness in unhealthy ways.
Say that three times fast! We all know that flatulence is a part of our bodily functions, but most of us know when it’s appropriate to cut the cheese, and when it’s not. For one man, though, his frequent flatulence caused his termination. Was this disability discrimination or a load of hot air?
Recently, the American Medical Association (AMA) has declared obesity to be a disease. This has implications for employers, since obesity may now also be considered a disability in certain circumstances. table style=”padding: 15px;” align=”right”> When is Obesity a Disability? To see when it might be possible that obesity may be declared a disability, let's take […]
In June 2013, the American Medical Association officially voted to classify obesity as a disease. While this classification doesn’t have legal weight, it provides support for individuals arguing that obesity should be considered a protected ADA disability—which could open the door for discrimination claims. Let’s take a look at the rationale behind this change. Obesity […]
by Julia M. Hodges Obesity is a disease, according to the American Medical Association (AMA). The AMA’s recent declaration has a multitude of implications for employers, including the potential for increased disability-related litigation. Whether courts will decide to consider obesity a disability under the law remains to be seen, but employers everywhere should beware. Obesity […]
Most Americans have to sit all day at work, and they despise it. A new survey commissioned by Ergotron, manufacturer of furniture and mobility products, found that employees hate sitting, yet 86 percent do it all day, every day. But what motivates them to stand up? Don’t tell Michelle! Some results of Ergotron’s second survey […]
by Jonathan R. Mook The American Medical Association (AMA) has officially designated obesity as a disease. In doing so, it explained that obesity is a “multi-metabolic and hormonal disease state” that leads to unfavorable outcomes like type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The AMA’s action has focused renewed attention on the so-called obesity epidemic and […]
Health risk assessments and biometrics, while an important source of wellness data, are not always the best place to start when implementing a wellness program, a wellness expert said in a Thompson Interactive webinar. “Think through your culture and what you’ve been doing,” said Brad Cooper, CEO of US Corporate Wellness. Many companies started with […]