EEOC Addresses Leave as a Reasonable Accommodation

In response to an increase in disability discrimination charges it has received, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has published a document titled "Employer-Provided Leave and the Americans with Disabilities Act" (ADA) to restate its policy on the use of leave as a reasonable accommodation under the ADA. The document early on states that "some employers may not know that they may have to modify policies that limit the amount of leave employees can take when an employee needs additional leave as a reasonable accommodation" for a disability. The document goes on to explain:

The purpose of the ADA's reasonable accommodation obligation is to require employers to change the way things are customarily done to enable employees with disabilities to work. Leave as a reasonable accommodation is consistent with this purpose when it enables an employee to return to work following the period of leave.

You can read the full document by clicking on the underlined link in the first paragraph.