Tag: disabilities

Massachusetts

‘Impossible Demands’ Lead to Disability Discrimination Lawsuit

by John S. Gannon Employers routinely ask employees to provide adequate documentation demonstrating that they can perform the essential functions of a job. That documentation may come in the form of physical or mental examinations—commonly referred to as fitness-for-duty examinations. However, problems arise when an employer disagrees with the physician who certifies the employee as […]

healthcare

Court Considers EEOC Claims that Wellness Program Was Involuntary, Employee Fired for Nonparticipation

In EEOC v. Orion Energy Systems, Inc., a federal district court considered a challenge to an employer’s wellness incentive program. As explained in part 1 of this article, the court rejected the company’s contention that the Americans with Disabilities Act’s (ADA) safe harbor for benefits administration should apply.

Wellness Lawsuit AARP Versus EEOC: A Quick Recap

Did you know that the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) has initiated a lawsuit against the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)? If you’re not already in the know about this, it may seem like an unlikely event, given that the two organizations are typically on the same side in matters related to employee rights. […]

wellness

Court Declines to Apply ADA’s Benefits Safe Harbor to Employer’s Wellness Incentive

In hearing a recent federal challenge to an employer’s wellness incentive program, a court rejected the company’s contention that the Americans with Disabilities Act’s (ADA) safe harbor for benefits administration should apply. However, the court dismissed the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s (EEOC) claim that Orion Energy Systems Inc.’s incentive violated the ADA, even though […]

Employers Continue to Face Lawsuits Over 100%-Healed Policies

Employers continue to face both federal charges and private lawsuits over policies that require workers to be fully healed from injuries before returning to work. According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), this means employers aren’t aware of their accommodation responsibilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

2nd Circuit Scrutinizes Worker’s Inconsistent Claims About His Disability

by Zachary Morahan and Shannon Kane, Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP To be eligible for Social Security disability (SSD) benefits, an individual must be unable to perform “past relevant work.” To be eligible to sue for disability discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA, an individual must be able to perform the essential functions of […]

ADA Implementation: Common Misconceptions

We recently looked at some issues that arise when the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and leave laws overlap (see ADA Leave Issues: Attendance Bonuses, COBRA, and More). Today, we’ll address some common misconceptions about the law.