Accommodating an employee with cancer

The Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination against employees with disabilities, such as cancer.

If an employee is diagnosed with cancer, the company may have to provide reasonable accommodation as a means of allowing the person to continue working his or her job.

This is not required of the company if it would cause undue hardship, such as a large expense or some type of significant difficulty.

What types of accommodations are expected? This varies from one situation to the next, as not every person with cancer is dealing with the same situation. For example, there are employees with cancer who do not require any type of accommodations. Conversely, there are people who require an immediate accommodation.

Some of the most common types of accommodations for an employee with cancer include:

— Modifying a work schedule.

— Making a shift change.

— Allowing the employee to leave work for treatment or medical appointments.

— Providing leave to recover from treatment or a procedure.

— Allowing for regular breaks to take medication or rest.

Most companies go above and beyond for an employee who has cancer, as they realize that this can be a difficult disease to overcome. Others, often those that are unsure of their legal obligations, neglect to do so.

If you or a loved one is diagnosed with cancer, it does not mean you have to quit your job. Instead, you may be able to continue working with the help of reasonable accommodation.

Visit our “Los Angeles Medical Discrimination Attorney” webpage for more information on this subject.