Employers have a new resource document to use when determining when and how to grant employees leave as a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act.  The document, published by the EEOC, is entitled Employer-Provided Leave and the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The ADA applies to employers with 15 or more employees. It requires employers to provide disabled employees with reasonable accommodations that allow them to perform the essential functions of their jobs unless doing so would cause an undue hardship. Reasonable accommodations may include providing employees with leave from work or modifying a company's leave policy for an employee with a disability.

In issuing this technical assistance, the EEOC noted the increase in disability charges. 2015 hit a new high for disability discrimination claims brought before the agency. The EEOC intends this resource document as a way to educate employers about leave as an accommodation. For each category addressed, the EEOC provides examples or scenarios to assist employers.

As noted in its release of this document, "[o]ne troubling trend the EEOC has identified in ADA charges is the prevalence of employer policies that deny or unlawfully restrict the use of leave as a reasonable accommodation. These policies often serve as systemic barriers to the employment of workers with disabilities. They may cause many workers to be terminated who otherwise could have returned to work after obtaining needed leave without undue hardship to the employer. EEOC regulations already provide that reasonable accommodations may include leave, potentially including unpaid leave that exceeds a company's normal leave allowances." 

Commissioner Victoria Lipnic added, "Leave issues often present some of the toughest situations for employers and employees to deal with in our workplaces. This document provides needed one-stop guidance on how the EEOC approaches many of the common issues we see."

The key topics addressed include:

  • Equal Access to Leave Under an Employer's Leave Policy.  Employers must provide employees with access to leave "on the same basis as other similarly-situated employees."  Policies may require all employees to provide documentation to substantiate the need for leave — like a doctor's note.
  • Granting Leave as a Reasonable Accommodation. Employers must provide employees with leave as a reasonable accommodation. This includes providing unpaid leave to an employee with a disability so long as doing so does not create an undue hardship for the employer. An employer is not required to provide paid leave beyond its paid leave policy. Employers may also not penalize an employee for taking leave as a reasonable accommodation.
  • Communication after an Employee Requests Leave.  This is also referred to as the "interactive process." Employers must engage in the interactive process after a disabled employee requests leave, or additional leave, for a medical condition.  Employers must treat the request as a request for a reasonable accommodation.  As the EEOC explains, the interactive process is "a process designed to enable the employer to obtain relevant information to determine the feasibility of providing the leave as a reasonable accommodation without causing an undue hardship." At times, the employer may need more information so that it can understand the amount and type of leave, the need for leave, and whether there is a reasonable accommodation available other than leave.
  • Communication During Leave and Prior to Return to Work.  Employers should continue to engage in the interactive process if the disabled employee seeks additional leave due to a medical condition.  Employers may also ask for information from the employee as to the leave and the employee's return to work.
  • Maximum Leave Policies.  Employers will be found in violation of the ADA if they enforce maximum leave policies.  While employers may have policies that set a maximum amount of leave the employer will allow, employers may need to grant exceptions to disabled employees and allow them additional leave beyond the maximum as a reasonable accommodation.
  • Return to Work and Reasonable Accommodation (Including Reassignment).  Employers will be found in violation of the ADA if they require employees to be 100% recovered or have no restrictions before they can return to work.  Employers should continue engaging in the interactive process if employees return to work with restrictions.  This allows discussion as to reasonable accommodations that will allow an employee to perform the essential functions of the job or consider reassignment to a vacant job position for which the employee is qualified.
  • Undue Hardship. Employers may determine whether granting leave, or additional leave, is an undue hardship.  Factors that may be considered include impact on the employer's operations and ability to serve customers, impact on co-workers and duties of job, whether intermittent leave is predictable or unpredictable, whether there is flexibility on when leave is taken, frequency of the leave, and amount and/or length of leave.

The EEOC's resource document ends with citations to additional guidance on leave laws under the ADA, Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and  worker's compensation.

Companies should review their policies and procedures on leave so that they can make sure they are properly considering requests for leave by disabled employees.  Training on leave laws, leave requests, and the interactive process are also considered best practices.  Consultation with counsel is also advisable as properly considering leave or extended leave requests and documenting the interactive process may avoid liability.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.