HR in it for the Long Haul? Accommodation Considerations for Employees Who Suffered with COVID-19
Long COVID-19 is the condition that describes the long-term health effects of a COVID-19 infection. By now many employees have been infected with the COVID-19 virus, perhaps more than on variant, and while they may have recovered and returned to work some still suffer from lasting health challenges as a result of that infection. Those conditions may qualify as disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act, as amended, as well as various state laws. Employers may therefore need to engage those employees in an interactive process focused on their ability to perform the essential functions of their jobs with or without reasonable accommodations. This session will review the potential health issues from Long COVID and the accommodation process that may need to be activated.
Learning Objectives:
- Understand how COVID-19 infections impact employees.
- Review current reports on Long COVID cases and the impact on the workplace.
- Review the accommodation process and pitfalls to avoid.
James Reidy, Esq.
Attorney James P. (“Jim”) Reidy is a management-side labor and employment lawyer. He is a partner in the New England based law firm, Sheehan Phinney Bass & Green, PA, where he is the Chair of the firm’s Labor and Employment group. His practice focuses on prevention, training and compliance but he also handles matters when claims arise.
He has more than 35 years of experience in the field and been a media resource on workplace law for media outlets including CNN, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times Business Magazine, Bloomberg, NPR, The Associated Press, NPR Market Place, Buzz Feed, Law 360, Inc. Magazine, The HR Power Hour, HR Breakroom, SKI Magazine and HR Magazine as well as several local/regional publications.
In 2020 Jim was inducted as a Fellow in the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers.
Chambers USA and New England Super Lawyers have ranked Jim in the Top Tier of management-side employment lawyers for each year of the last 15 years. Best Lawyers USA named Jim the 2022 Lawyer of the Year for Labor and Employment Law (Manchester, NH) and the NH Business Review named him one of the top 200 most influential business leaders in New Hampshire.
Jim has been a presenter regularly at SHRM’s Legal and Legislative Conference in Washington, DC as well as SHRM’s annual conferences.