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ADA

What equals a disability under the ADA? Supreme Court to rule

05/01/2001
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to tackle the vexing question of just how serious an impairment has to be before it’s protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Courts …

Employee must notify you of change in disability status

04/01/2001
David Wurzbach had leukemia, so his doctor recommended limited public contact to reduce his risk of infection. Because his job with the City of Tacoma required lots of public interaction, the …

You can delay reassignment if your efforts are reasonable

04/01/2001
When Jack Jay tore his Achilles’ tendon, his doctor said he shouldn’t work anymore in a job that involved climbing. Unfortunately, his position as a millwright required him to climb stairs …

EEOC scowls at genetic testing

04/01/2001
If you’re weighing the costs of testing workers to predict future disabilities, don’t forget to count the attorney fees. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently called genetic testing by …

You can put your seniority system ahead of ADA accommodation

03/01/2001
Vanessa Turpin suffered occasional seizures from a mild form of epilepsy. When Sara Lee shut down the plant where Turpin worked, she was transferred to another plant. However, she was bumped …

Employees must share duty in setting up accommodation

03/01/2001
Denise Davis missed a lot of work over more than five years due to maternity leaves and her Crohn’s disease. During this time, her employer continued to accommodate Davis by …

You and staffing firm share ADA responsibility

03/01/2001
If you use contingent workers, both you and the staffing agency may be considered “employers,” which means you share the duty of accommodating a disabled worker, according to new guidance from …

Employee is covered under ADA if you perceive him to be disabled

02/01/2001
After downing at least nine beers during and after a company dinner, which followed a training program, Ray Zakaras spoke freely about his objections to the program and made rude comments …

Inability to work overtime doesn’t mean worker is disabled

02/01/2001
As a senior train operations manager, Clyde Kellogg regularly put in 60 hours to 80 hours a week, including weekends, holidays and at home. That is, until he appeared to have …

Fear of snakes doesn’t qualify as a disability

02/01/2001
After a hospital switchboard operator heard that a snake had been seen in her workplace, she became hysterical and took leave for several months. When she returned, she was transferred to …