What California employers need to know about accommodating mental disabilities
HR.BLR.com
Your legal obligations for accommodating mental disabilities are similar to those for accommodating physical disabilities. However, unlike a broken leg or pregnancy, mental disabilities often aren't readily observable. Employees often are sensitive about mental disabilities, and accommodating them can be particularly challenging for employers.
Disability discrimination: Kansas jury awards nearly $1 million to cop who slept on the job
HR.BLR.com
Employers often want to be thorough in listing all the disciplinary issues that led to an employee’s termination. Generally speaking, that’s a good practice, but it’s important to think critically about each issue identified in personnel documents.
If any of those issues was caused or affected by a medical condition that may qualify as a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), give extra care when considering whether referring to it in your disciplinary paperwork might suggest to the employee (or a jury) that you had a discriminatory motive.
Michaels had no further incidents of sleeping on the job once he received his diagnosis and treatment for sleep apnea in 2010. There was no reason to include a 2-year-old fully resolved issue in his termination paperwork. It appears the city had good reasons to fire him. But its reference to his sleeping on the job gave the jury a basis for believing the city was terminating him for an illegal reason, and that resulted in a significant verdict in the employee’s favor.
Legislators approve $3.6 million grant in Vinal Tech
Middletown Press
Funds, earmarked at $3,627,740, were approved at the meeting of the State Bond Commission and will allow for various infrastructure improvements and Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant renovations.