Tag: accommodations

Special Delivery: Considerations for Pregnant Employees

The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 (PDA) makes it illegal for employers to discriminate against pregnant employees and requires reasonable accommodations for an employee’s known limitations related to pregnancy or childbirth. Let’s look at how the PDA and the PWFA affect employers who have pregnant employees. We’ll be using West Virginia’s version as an example, […]

Failure to Accommodate Autistic Worker Ends with Settlement of EEOC Disability Lawsuit

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA) prohibit an employer from discriminating against an individual who is (1) disabled within the statutes’ meaning and (2) qualified to perform the essential job functions with or without a reasonable accommodation. Once an employee discloses the need for a reasonable accommodation, […]

Latest DOJ Guidance on ADA Web Accessibility Leaves Unanswered Questions

In March 2022, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) published web accessibility guidance under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities and guarantees they will have the same ability as everyone else to enjoy opportunities, goods, and services. Although the guidance establishes the DOJ’s intentions to ensure websites are […]

Kansas City Passes CROWN Act to Protect Natural Hair Types

Kansas City, Missouri, is the latest jurisdiction to implement a “CROWN Act” ordinance, prohibiting discrimination based on natural hair types and hairstyles commonly associated with race and racial identity.

ABC’s Respectful Treatment of ‘Jeopardy!’ Host and Cultural Icon Alex Trebek Offers Valuable Lessons for Employers

Over the last week, my husband and I have been grieving the loss of one of our most steadfast companions, someone with whom we spent hundreds of hours over the years but had never actually met. Sadly, Alex Trebek, the longtime host of “Jeopardy!,” passed away on November 8, 2020, after a battle with pancreatic […]

free

Pros and Cons of Fragrance-Free Policies

Fragrance or chemical sensitivities can cause a large number of health issues, including coughing, difficulty breathing, migraines, nausea, confusion, anxiety, skin irritation, and more. When someone is faced with symptoms like these as a direct result of irritants in the workplace, it’s only reasonable to try to do something about it.

ADA

Taking a Load Off: EEOC Cracks Down on Unlawful Accommodation Policies

A Texas-based employer has agreed to pay $2.65 million to settle a lawsuit in which the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) claimed it violated federal discrimination laws by refusing to accommodate food servers with disabilities. You can avoid a similar outcome by implementing reasonable accommodation procedures.

pain

How Employers Can Help Employees with Chronic Pain

Millions of people live with chronic pain every day. Most employers have employees who are in this situation. Chronic pain often has no adequate treatment, and those living with it have to find ways to manage their lives around the pain and reduce it whenever possible. Chronic pain can have other effects, too, such as […]

job

Determining Essential Job Functions

When crafting good job descriptions, one component employers need to consider is which job functions are considered essential. This is especially relevant when it comes to ensuring the employer is not discriminating against individuals with disabilities.