ADA in the News: March 11, 2015

Carrier Ordered to Pay Nearly Half a Million Dollars to 12 Former Drivers

Truckinginfo

The trucking company PAM Transport Inc. has been ordered to pay 12 of its former truck drivers a total of $477,399 in a disability discrimination lawsuit brought by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

The federal agency alleged that PAM violated the Americans with Disabilities Act by subjecting its entire workforce of truck drivers to overly broad medical inquiries. The EEOC said the lawsuit arose from PAM's medical clearance policy, which required all drivers to notify the company whenever the driver had any contact with a medical professional, including a routine physical.

Such alleged conduct violates the ADA which prohibits employers from making medical inquiries of employees unless the inquiries are job-related and consistent with business necessity, according to EEOC.

USPS Apologizes To Deaf Woman After She Says Worker Refused To Communicate With Her By Writing

The Consumerist

The United States Postal Service is apologizing to a deaf woman in Florida after she said workers at her local post office refused to accommodate her by providing service through writing, instead allegedly mocking her and making her feel humiliated.

“State of the Union” on substance abuse and the workplace

Lexology

Where are we these days with respect to mind-altering substances and the workplace? Here’s the latest, with the “substances” discussed in alphabetical order. This blog post is guaranteed accurate™ for at least the next five minutes.

More With Disabilities On The Job

As the job market continues to improve, the number of people with disabilities who are employed is also edging up.

Kentucky Sued In Federal Court Over Drug Treatment Practices

Huffington Post

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, anyone with a serious medical condition that "prohibits her from having a normal functioning life is considered to be disabled," according to the lawsuit. Kentucky's refusal to allow a disabled person to get treatment runs afoul of the ADA, the lawsuit argues.

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