Mental Health Provider’s Role in Requests for a Reasonable Accommodation at Work

Employees with common mental health conditions have a right to a reasonable accommodation at work under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). When requesting accommodations, a patient or client may need supporting documentation from their mental health provider. EEOC’s fact sheet briefly explains the law of reasonable accommodation and the mental health provider’s role in…

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USPS: Disability Employment Month, ADA mark milestones

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, an annual campaign that seeks to raise understanding of disability employment matters and commend the contributions of workers with disabilities. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the campaign, also known as NDEAM, as well as the 30th anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act…

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Group protests lack of help for the blind at downtown Portland post office

By Bob Heye – July 25, 2017 PORTLAND, Ore. — David Bouchard says his frustration with the Waterfront U.S. Post Office at the corner of Southwest 1st and Madison in downtown Portland started at the end of last summer. “I came here last August to try to send a package off. I got turned away….

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California Letter Carrier Sues for Disability Discrimination

San Francisco, CA (Law Firm Newswire) December 19, 2016 – A former letter carrier who worked at the Sausalito, California, branch of the United States Postal Service (USPS) for over two decades filed a lawsuit alleging disability discrimination and retaliation. The USPS was also accused of improperly disclosing his confidential medical records, according to the…

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Protecting Alcoholics, Preventing Alcohol Misuse and Distinguishing Between the Two

Jennifer Mora – March 30, 2016 It has long been clear that the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) protects alcoholism if it qualifies as a “disability.”1 That said, courts have consistently held that employers can have legitimate work rules that prohibit alcohol use in the workforce. However, the line between having a protected…

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Employee Health Information: Separate and Secure

By Judith Langevin – October 23, 2015 There are several reasons an employer might have employee health information, ranging from the results of a pre-employment physical to the contents of a request for FMLA leave to what’s written in a health provider’s note about the need to be absent from work. Employers may also have…

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U.S. Department of Labor: National Disability Employment Awareness Month 2015

Celebrating 70 Years! 1945-2015 Held each October, National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) is a time to celebrate the many and varied contributions of America’s workers with disabilities. The theme for this year — which marks 70 years since the first observance — is “My Disability is One Part of Who I Am.” More Information:…

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