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DISABLED EMPLOYEE DENIED TELEWORK

SCHOOL DISTRICT WRONGFULLY FORCED DISABLED EMPLOYEE TO RESIGN

In early April, West Memphis School District was sued by the United States Justice Department, for denying an employee’s request for “temporary telework.”

Apparently, the school science curriculum specialist suffered from a disability which required that she temporarily telework “to avoid damage to her health.” When that request was denied, the employee was forced to resign.

Believing that such conduct violated Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the DOJ filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas.

In a written statement, Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, “Telework is an important tool that has increased the ability of many people with disabilities to become or remain employed …. Employers must have a process in place to reasonably accommodate workers with disabilities, and they must work with those employees to consider options, including telework.”

Would you have called them out on that?

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UDSOJ PRESS RELEASE ~ 04.09.24

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