As an employer in Ohio, you have legal obligations to accommodate employees with disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Ohio Civil Rights Act. These laws prohibit employment discrimination based on disabilities and require employers to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities.
To comply with these laws, you must have a policy in place for accommodating employees with disabilities. This policy should outline the process for requesting an accommodation and the types of accommodations that may be available. You must also engage in an interactive process with employees who request an accommodation to determine whether a reasonable accommodation can be provided that will allow the employee to perform the essential functions of the job.
Under the ADA and Ohio law, reasonable accommodations may include modifications to the work environment, changes to work schedules, and assistive technology. The specific accommodations will depend on the individual's disability and the requirements of the job.
It is important to note that the ADA and Ohio law do not require employers to provide accommodations that would cause an undue hardship. An undue hardship is a significant difficulty or expense that would make the accommodation unreasonable. However, the burden of proving an undue hardship rests with the employer, and it is a high threshold to meet.
If you are unsure about your obligations to accommodate employees with disabilities, it is recommended that you seek legal advice from an attorney familiar with disability rights and accommodations law. Additionally, you should regularly train your managers and human resources staff on disability accommodation policies and procedures to ensure compliance with the law.
By