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I know this sounds like a contradiction, but a Dallas court recently said it wasn’t. So, a Texas employer can be cleared of firing an employee because of his disability—despite the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)—but still be liable for failing to provide a reasonable accommodation. The Dallas office of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission […]
A recent decision from the Iowa Court of Appeals should cause Iowa employers to hit pause on routine decisions relating to workers’ compensation claimants. The decision, Vetter v. Iowa Department of Natural Resources, effectively dismantled the definition of “disability” for disability discrimination claims.
An employee with a disability must demonstrate that he is able to perform the essential functions of his job, with or without reasonable accommodations, in order to be protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). But what exactly does “essential functions” mean? What are the essential functions of a particular job, and who determines […]
Determining what is a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is meant to be an interactive process between the employer and the employee. However, after exerting significant amounts of energy in the process, one Illinois employer got a reaction it had hoped to avoid—a lawsuit.
Recently, the 7th Circuit—which covers Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin—issued an opinion underscoring the importance of diligence, thoroughness, and consistent communication when you interact with employees seeking accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and reiterating its position that the interactive process is a shared responsibility between employers and employees.
Employees’ service animal accommodation requests tend to bring out the beast in everyone – employees requesting the accommodation, employers, and other employees. Anecdotally, service animal questions are on the rise, dogging HR professionals. The issue is here to stay.
Terminated employees who sue often file claims for unlawful discrimination and breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing. Recently, the Alaska Supreme Court analyzed how a claim for breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing relates to a disability discrimination claim. The court also considered when evidence is sufficient […]
It is a common dilemma for employers: An employee requests a leave of absence for several months, fails to return at the end of the leave, and asks for a lengthy extension. Under what circumstances may the employer deny the extension and terminate the employee’s employment? A recent decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals […]
An employee or applicant who is disabled (or who qualifies as disabled) has the right to the legal protections granted under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). But does that right extend to the right to take leave related to the individual’s disability?
A new ruling from the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court should be a warning to employers in the state that refuse to tolerate medical marijuana use by employees with a disability.