Disabled individuals in California and elsewhere face unique challenges as they try to navigate their places of employment. While employers are required by law to provide accommodations for disabled employees, some choose to ignore the rules and even resort to discriminating against disabled employees because of their condition. It’s important to understand what constitutes disability discrimination and how a person can go about obtaining justice after experiencing adverse treatment.
The Americans with Disabilities Act
The Americans with Disabilities Act is designed to protect workers who may suffer from a disability from unlawful or disparate treatment in the workplace. The act specifies that employers must provide reasonable accommodations to disabled employees, and the law even covers those who have relationships with disabled individuals, such as a spouse or child.
Some employers may try to hold back a person with a disability from advancing in his or her career, or they may even not hire a person because he or she has a disability. Others may outright fire a disabled employee or make the work environment so hostile the person has no option but to quit. All these activities, of course, directly go against the stipulations of the ADA, and the act also prohibits employers asking certain disability related questions on job applications and during the interview process.
Seeking compensation
Just like discrimination based on other protected statuses, age, race, religion, etc., disability discrimination is wrong and unlawful. Should an employee face discrimination in the workplace because of a disability, he or she should discuss the matter with the company’s human resources department. If that is unsuccessful, the employee should consult with an experienced employment law attorney in California to help obtain a favorable resolution to the matter.
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