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With increasing frequency, we have been required to provide guidance on whether an employer client must accommodate companion dogs, provide sign interpreters for patients, and to make workplace modifications for employees returning to work with disabilities. In a nutshell, on all of these occasions, the resounding answer to the “do I have a duty to accommodate” question has been “yes.”

Under federal and usually state law, duties for public places of accommodations (expressly those providing healthcare), and employers with employees limited by or with a history of medical disabilities (including those perceived to be disabled by birth defects, for example) are required to reasonably accommodate requests for assistive aids, devices, or reasonably change existing policies and practices. This is the case when making such accommodations would enable a disabled person to obtain services or maintain employment as would an able-bodied person. The law is broad in this area, and claims by providers and employers that an accommodation would create an “undue hardship” and or is simply unreasonable or would be aesthetically not pleasing, pave the potential for discrimination claims that can result in thousands if not millions in legal damages and fees.

In the last Employee Life Cycle article we focused around the art or need to lead employees. As you think about leadership or management a great deal of time is spent working on individual levels with people that work for you. The challenge and art of leading is being able reach individuals in a way they understand and enjoy. In the first article of the Employee Life Cycle we spoke of the need to train individuals once they are hired. One of the challenges in the restaurant business; we would hire a new cook and expect that person to “keep up” without a lot of support from leadership along the way (training). Once trained and working inside the workforce, employees look for leadership. Leadership is the inspiration and values of the leader and organization. No matter if the person is a ten year or two week employee, all employees want and need to be led. Employees follow the lead of their boss and look for good examples along the way.