This article series examines similarities and differences between the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Here we take a look at when requests for medical certification are allowed under both laws.
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Under the ADA, if the employee requests an accommodation and the disability is not obvious, the employer may request reasonable medical documentation from the appropriate healthcare professional in order to establish that an individual has a disability and has a need for an accommodation.
“Reasonable medical documentation” means what is needed to establish that a person has a disability and that the disability necessitates a reasonable accommodation. An employer cannot request a person’s complete medical records because they will probably contain information unrelated to the individual’s disability and the need for accommodation.
Read more here.