Tag: ADAAA

When is Obesity a Disability?

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 […]

Quell Compassionate Impulses—Or Face ‘Regarded As’ Claims

In yesterday’s Advisor, we covered Attorney Franck Wobst’s key things to include in documentation. Today, things not to include, plus an introduction to a timely BLR Bootcamp on performance management. The Two Problems Fentin, who is a partner in the Springfield, Massachusetts, law firm Skoler, Abbott & Presser P.C., points out the two poles of […]

‘I’ve got a chronically ill employee’—Balance Compassion and Business

Form the habit for all your writings, (including e-mails, posts, etc.) to write as though for an audience. You never know who may ultimately end up reading what you wrote. Assume that someone will post it or tweet it, says Attorney Franck Wobst. It’s one of HR’s most difficult dilemmas—how to balance your compassion for […]

Chronic Illnesses—Tough to Balance Compassion and Business

As an HR person, you care about people, says attorney Susan Fentin. Your impulse is to help; however, if the problem is driving the business down, you may not be able to help. You need to balance these sometimes-competing interests, and that’s not often easy. What are the issues when an employee is chronically ill? […]

ADA Bipolar—Medication Side Effects Must Be Accommodated

Yesterday’s Advisor offered symptoms of bipolar disorder and how they play out in the workplace; today, bipolar medication side effects, plus an introduction to the updated guide that gives practical advice for dealing with all manner of ADA challenges. Medications for Treating Bipolar Disorder It is often challenging to find the right combination of medications […]

When is Cancer a Disability?

Is cancer considered to be a disability when it comes to ADA protections? The short answer is yes. The longer answer will depend on the specific circumstances of the employee. So, when is cancer a disability? It will be when: Cancer or its side effects substantially limits one or more of a person’s major life […]

Does Banishing Scents Make Sense at Work?

It seems that the number of people with allergies or sensitivities to various scents and smells has grown substantially. Some of those allergies can be severe, causing severe respiratory difficulties and other serious health issues.

Marking Anniversary, Feds Call ADA Amendments ‘a Promising Start’

Federal courts are off to “a promising start” in issuing rulings under the ADA Amendments Act according to the National Council on Disability, an independent federal agency. NCD says that recent rulings are a substantial improvement over pre-amendments decisions in achieving the broad scope of coverage that Congress intended. That finding is part of an […]

AMA says obesity is a disease: What does this mean for you?

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 […]