Some people might think that a disability discrimination claim will be a fairly simple, straight-forward case. In addition to federal guidelines put in place by the Americans with Disabilities Act, California also has its own law called FEHA, the Fair Employment and Housing Act. Between these two, the protections afforded to disabled employees and the ways in which they should be treated are quite clear, and any breach of that conduct should be easy to identify and pursue.
While this may be true in many cases, we understand that not all disabilities are the same, and different disabilities can affect multiple people in different ways. For example, just because one individual is able to successfully navigate a place of business in a wheelchair, does not mean a different wheelchair user will be able to move as easily. The real advantage of the ADA and the FEHA is that they make clear just how important employee accommodation is, which gives disabled people of all kinds the chance to make a claim.
Ultimately, because of the protections afforded to disabled individuals by the ADA and the FEHA, employers are required to do everything within their power to accommodate your disability. You can feel confident saying that the wheelchair ramp is too steep or the handicapped parking space is too far away, because the employers must do their best to make the situation work for you. You don’t have to suffer for them.
If you are having difficulties performing your job tasks because of a disability, and your employer is not making an effort to accommodate your disability, you may be entitled to compensation. For more information on how disability discrimination can affect you, visit our webpage.