Avoiding Liability for Medical Accommodations: Understanding Employer Rights and Obligations
Under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act and various state laws, employers must reasonably accommodate individuals who need changes in their work responsibilities due to certain medical conditions. Although most HR professionals understand this obligation, disability discrimination claims generate hundreds of millions of dollars annually for savvy plaintiffs' attorneys who pursue disability-related litigation. To prevent and defend against these lawsuits, employers must understand the interactive process and the appropriate steps to take when evaluating an accommodation request. In this session, Jennifer Shaw, a nationally recognized expert in this area, will debunk common myths and provide practical guidance to help keep your organization out of court. Buckle your seat belts for an engaging and informative 'E-ticket' ride!
Learning Objectives:
- Understand interactive process best practices.
- Learn how to best document reasonable accommodation requests and your responses.
- Understand when to challenge medical documentation, and the most effective way to do so.
- Learn how to evaluate if an accommodation is medically necessary, effective, and will not impose an undue hardship on the organization.
In-person session offerings are on a first-come, first-served basis.
To view all event accessibility & accommodations details visit here.
If a speaker has provided session materials, please visit https://presentations.shrm.org
Jennifer Shaw, Esq.
Jennifer Shaw is the founder of Shaw Law Group and a 2019 recipient of the Sacramento Business Journal’s “Women Who Mean Business” award. A well-respected expert in employment law for more than 30 years, employers regularly rely on Jennifer to counsel them on a broad range of employment law issues. Jennifer’s practical advice covers subjects such as wage-hour compliance, anti-discrimination and harassment policies and procedures, reasonable accommodation/leave of absence issues, and hiring/separation processes. She is a trusted advisor to in-house counsel, HR professionals, and leadership across a broad spectrum of public-sector and private-sector employers.