Sharam Kohan

Sharam Kohan

ADA Enforcement

The EEOC enforces Title I of the ADA. That agency will accept complaints of illegal discrimination based on mental or physical disability. Once an employee has established that he or she is disabled and claims that he or she has…

ADA “Job Accommodation”

Someone with a disability doesn’t necessarily need a job accommodation. Remember that we select people and place them in jobs if they are qualified for the performance of the essential functions, with or without a job accommodation. Someone with diabetes…

“Essential Job Function”

An essential job function is defined as “a portion of a job assignment that cannot be removed from the job without significantly changing the nature of the job.” An essential function is highly specialized, and the incumbent has been hired…

ADA “Major Life Activities”

Caring for oneself, seeing, hearing, touching, eating, sleeping, walking, standing, sitting, reaching, lifting, bending, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, interacting with others, and working all are considered “major life activities.” Also included are major bodily functions such as…

ADA “Substantially Limits”

Employers are required to consider as disabled anyone with a condition that “substantially limits,” but does not “significantly restrict,” a major life activity. Even though the limitation might be reduced or eliminated with medication or other alleviation, the treatment may…

ADA Amendments Act of 2008

Following the U.S. Supreme Court decisions in Sutton v. United Airlines and in Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc., v. William, Congress felt that the Court had been too restrictive in its interpretation of who qualifies as disabled. It was the…

ADA Provisions and Protections

ADA Provisions and Protections Title I—Employment—applies to employers with 15 or more workers on the payroll. Those employers may not discriminate against a physically or mentally disabled individual in recruitment, hiring, promotions, training, pay, social activities, and other privileges of…