Failure to Accommodate Disability

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The term “reasonable accommodation” has a specific meaning in employment law. It arises in the context of disability discrimination, pregnancy discrimination, and religious discrimination. Here I will discuss its meaning in the context of disability discrimination by an employer against an employee or job applicant. The Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.…

Read More What Is a “Reasonable Accommodation” For a “Disability”?
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In Ivankovskaya v. Metro. Transportation Auth. Bus Co., No. 15-cv-5727, 2017 WL 3328166 (E.D.N.Y. Aug. 3, 2017), the court dismissed plaintiff’s hostile work environment claim under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Plaintiff worked as a bus operator for the MTA Bus Company. After being diagnosed with a disc herniation, she requested a “reasonable accommodation”…

Read More ADA Hostile Work Environment Claim Dismissed; Yelling Insufficient
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In Fatcheric v. Bartech Grp., Inc., No. 15CV9702, 2017 WL 3084418 (S.D.N.Y. July 19, 2017), the court denied defendants’ motion for summary judgment on plaintiff’s claims of unlawful termination based on her disability, in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the New York State Human Rights Law, and the New York City Human Rights Law.…

Read More Disability Discrimination Claims Survive Summary Judgment, in Light of Dispute as to Whether Working On-Site Was an “Essential Function” of Plaintiff’s Job
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In Flieger v. Eastern Suffolk BOCES, No. 16-2556-CV, 2017 WL 2377853 (2d Cir. June 1, 2017) (Summary Order), the Second Circuit affirmed the dismissal of plaintiff’s disability discrimination claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act. This decision touches on various issues that typically arise in these types of cases. Initially, the court held that plaintiff…

Read More 2d Circuit Affirms Dismissal of Teacher’s Disability Discrimination, Hostile Work Environment, Retaliation, and Failure-to-Accommodate Claims Against Eastern Suffolk BOCES
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In Roy v. Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, 16-3064-cv (2d Cir. March 23, 2017) (Summary Order), the court affirmed the dismissal, on timeliness/failure-to-exhaust-remedies grounds, of plaintiff’s claims of discrimination, retaliation, and failure to accommodate in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act. From the Order: We conclude that the district court properly dismissed Roy’s complaint on the ground that…

Read More Discrimination Claims Properly Dismissed For Failure to Timely File EEOC Charge; Equitable Tolling Not Applied
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In Stevens v. Rite Aid Corp., No. 15-277(L), 2017 WL 1055566 (2d Cir. Mar. 21, 2017), the Second Circuit reversed a lower court decision in favor of the plaintiff on his wrongful termination and retaliation claims, and affirmed its dismissal of plaintiff’s failure-to-accommodate claim, under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and state law. Plaintiff, a pharmacist, suffers…

Read More 2d Circuit Rules Against Needle-Fearing Pharmacist on Disability Discrimination Claims
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In Chernov v. Securities Training Corp., 2017 NY Slip Op 00126 (App. Div. 1st Dept. Jan. 10, 2017), an employment (disability) discrimination case, the Appellate Division, First Department unanimously reversed a lower court’s order granting defendant’s motion for summary judgment dismissing plaintiff’s complaint. From the decision: Viewing the evidence in the light most favorable to plaintiff, the…

Read More Disability Discrimination Claims Revived in Light of Fact Issues as to Whether Employer Should Have Known of Disabling Anxiety Condition
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In Blundell v. Nihon Kohden Am., 15-cv-1503, 2017 WL 318842 (N.D.N.Y. Jan. 23, 2017), the court dismissed plaintiff’s age discrimination claims.[1]The court also denied defendant’s motion to dismiss plaintiff’s retaliation claim and his failure-to-accommodate-disability claim in part. This decision is instructive on the use, in litigation, of age-related comments as proof of age discrimination to…

Read More Court Dismisses Age Discrimination Claims, Notwithstanding Age-Related Comments
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In Scott-Robinson v. City of N.Y., No. 15-CV-09703 (NRB), 2016 WL 7378775 (S.D.N.Y. Dec. 15, 2016), the Southern District of New York (Judge Buchwald) dismissed plaintiff’s retaliation claim under the New York City Human Rights Law (NYCHRL), but held that she sufficiently alleged her failure-to-accommodate-disability claims against individual defendants. Plaintiff, a Child and Family Specialist…

Read More Failure-to-Accommodate Disability (Sciatica) Discrimination Claims Continue Against Individual Defendants; Retaliation Claims Dismissed
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One type of disability discrimination claim recognized by the anti-discrimination laws is a so-called “failure to accommodate” claim. This article is meant to give an overview of general principles applicable; it is not intended to cover all aspects of the law on this topic. In order to establish a failure to accommodate claim under the…

Read More The “Failure to Accommodate Disability” Cause of Action
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