I’m sorry to hear about your disability. A sudden disability can take a huge emotional toll on a person, and a bad employment situation can make the situation even worse.
The good news is that you have legal rights under both federal law and California law. Disability discrimination is illegal. Disability discrimination occurs when a person treats a qualified person with a disability who is an employee or a job applicant unfavorably because he or she has a disability or a history of a disability. Under federal law, the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits disability discrimination in employment. In California, the claims are covered by the Fair Employment and Housing Act.
In order to be considered as disabled, a person must have one of three conditions: a physical or mental condition that impacts a major life activity, a history of a disability, or a physical or mental impairment that is not transitory and minor. A person must be considered medically disabled in order to be provided protections under disability discrimination laws.
Disability discrimination laws require an employer to provide reasonable accommodation to an employee or a job applicant with a disability. A reasonable accommodation is any change in the job description or employment conditions to help a person with a disability. An example may be allowing an employee to sit at a cash register rather than stand, or to make some small modifications to accommodate a wheelchair. However, if an accommodation would cause an undue hardship to the employer, the employer does not have to provide the accommodation.
If you believe that your employer is illegally refusing to accommodate your disability in Los Angeles, you should speak with an attorney. Call me, Conal Doyle, Los Angeles disability discrimination attorney, at 310-385-0567. We can help. Call my team today to learn more or to schedule a free consultation.