Many employees are not certain of their rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). We often address questions regarding whether a physical illness or injury qualifies as a disability, how to properly request an accommodation, and how to respond to disability harassment in the workplace.
A recent case filed by the EEOC’s Birmingham District Office shows the scope of the ADA and the liability of an employer who fails to reasonably accommodate a disabled worker. In this case, River Region Medical Center in Mississippi fired a thirty-six-year employee after refusing her accommodations while she recovered from a shoulder surgery. The ADA requires that employees provide reasonable accommodations for an employee’s disability, barring those that would cause an undue hardship on the employer. Following the advice of her physician, the employee requested to return to work in an available light duty position to accommodate her recovery, but River Region refused. The health care provider also refused to engage in any other offered solutions for Chamber’s recovery, and terminated her after thirty-six years of employment. The employer ultimately agreed to a $100,000 settlement for the terminated employee.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination including cases under the ADA. Beckum Law handles all types of employment cases throughout the State of Alabama. These matters include race and gender discrimination, sexual harassment, disability, family and medical leave, pregnancy discrimination, retaliation, and whistleblower claims. For additional information about Federal or Alabama employment laws or Beckum Law, please contact us today for a free and confidential consultation at (205) 588-0699 or wbeckum@beckumlaw.com.