Unfortunately, it’s necessary to have laws in place to protect individuals with disabilities in the workforce. This is because, without these laws, many disabled Americans were unfairly discriminated against and denied opportunities that otherwise could have drastically improved the quality of their lives. If you believe you were discriminated against in the workplace, you should strongly consider speaking with a knowledgeable and highly-skilled Chesterfield County disability discrimination attorney to learn more about your rights and how our firm can help protect them. Here are some of the questions you may have:
How do the Americans with Disabilities Act & the Virginia Human Rights Act protect me?
Both the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Virginia Human Rights Act (VHRA), amended by the Virginia Values Act, protect employees with disabilities from discrimination in the workplace. To start, under these Acts, employers are prohibited from discriminating against disabled persons when it comes to hiring, promotions, job assignments, and more. Additionally, employers are required to provide what’s known as “reasonable accommodations” for individuals with disabilities, as long as doing so would not cause undue hardship to the company.
What is a reasonable accommodation?
The term “reasonable accommodation” is a bit vague, but it can be loosely defined as a change or modification to the workplace or the way a certain job is performed that allows a person with a disability to perform the essential functions of the job. Just some of the most common types of reasonable accommodations include the following:
- Providing ramps or elevators in the workplace
- Modifying work schedules to a certain degree
- Giving certain employees permission to work from home
- Providing sign language interpreters
- Providing assistive technology
- Giving employees with disabilities time to go to scheduled healthcare appointments
What should I do if I’ve been discriminated against in the workplace because of a disability?
If you believe you are a victim of disability discrimination in the workplace, you should retain the services of a seasoned attorney who can help you file a discrimination claim either with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or the Virginia Office of Civil Rights (VOCR). Winning these claims isn’t always easy, so you should do what you can to collect supporting documentation that can potentially help prove your discrimination claim. You should also ensure you speak with a lawyer sooner, rather than later, as you only have a matter of months to file discrimination claims with either of these entities.
Passero Employment Law is here to help you today. If you’re a victim of discrimination, you can count on us to fight for the best outcome possible on your behalf. Give us a call or contact us online so we can get started working on your case.
