Offering Practical Guidance to Employers
An employer’s email to a “no call/no show” employee asking “what is going on” is not a “medical inquiry” under the ADA, according to the 7th Circuit.eeoc v. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans (7th Cir. Nov. 20. 2012).
The Court rejected the EEOC’s argument that the word “inquiries” in the “Medical Examinations and Inquiries” section…
When dealing with ADA claims relating to benefit plans, make sure to plot the coordinates for the ADA’s Section 501(c) “safe harbor.” Sections 501(c)(2) and (3) protect employers from liability for conduct that would otherwise violate the ADA if it were taken pursuant to an insured or self-insured benefit plan so long as the plan…
A drug testing protocol for both legal and illegal drugs was an unlawful medical examination, and the follow up questions about lawful drug use were unlawful disability-related inquiries, according to a federal district court in Tennessee. Bates v. Dura Automotive Systems, Inc., (Aug. 29, 2011). The court rejected the company’s motion to set aside a…
Nuance is important in legal analysis. A recent 6th Circuit case dealing with employer policies requiring an employee returning from sick leave to provide a doctor’s note illustrates the point.
In Lee v. The City of Columbus, the 6th Circuit held that the Columbus Police Department’s requirement that the doctor’s note include…
