Tag: ADA

telecommuting

Is a Telecommuting Program Right for Your Business? Legal and Practical Considerations

It’s Monday morning, seven inches of snow have accumulated outside and the weatherman predicts another five to come.  Do you shut down your business operations or require your employees to report to work?  For many HR professionals, the above hypothetical has become a reality as the past several months brought snowstorms in the Midwest, nor’easters […]

pretext

Recent 7th Circuit Case Highlights Best Practices for Accommodating Disabilities

Reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) can be a difficult area for employers to navigate. A recent case from the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals—which covers Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin—provides a helpful example of how you should clearly spell out job requirements and qualifications so you can better respond to potential […]

mental health

7th Circuit: Psych Exam Following Bizarre Behavior was Reasonable

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), employer-required medical exams must be “job-related and consistent with business necessity.” That test can be difficult to apply when you’re dealing with mental or psychiatric examinations. A recent decision from the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals—which covers Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin—helps clarify when you may require such […]

Modifying the Workplace for Older Employees

As our population demographics change over the years, employers are finding themselves with a workforce that is ever-changing in composition. While those in the Millennial cohort are finding their feet in the workplace and advancing into more senior roles, there are plenty of Generation Xers and Baby Boomers who plan to stay in the workforce […]

Wellness programs

Employers Left in Wellness-Plan Limbo

In recent years, more and more employers have implemented wellness programs—employee participation programs that may include wellness education, health or fitness challenges, and even limited medical testing and preventive care requirements—to promote and encourage employee health and wellbeing. Through these programs, they hope to create a healthier workforce and reduce insurance costs.

Mental Health: Addressing A Significant Workplace Issue

Are your managers and staff prepared to handle mental health issues in the workplace? If not, they should be. Here is why: According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), about one in five U.S. adults experience mental illness in any given year, as reported by the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI). Most […]

reading

ADA: Reading Disorders, Government Employees, and National Security

In a recent case involving an employee with a previously unidentified reading disorder—which raised national security concerns because of his involvement with nuclear weapons—the 10th Circuit (which covers Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah, and Wyoming) showed just how seriously courts view the Rehabilitation Act’s accommodation requirements.