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The regulations to the Americans with Disabilities Act include a non-exhaustive list of reasonable accommodations that may apply to allow an employee with a disability to perform the essential functions of the job. They include job restructuring; part-time or modified work schedules; reassignment to a vacant position; acquisition or modifications of equipment or devices; appropriate adjustment or modifications of examinations, training materials, or policies; the provision of qualified readers or interpreters. There’s also a catchall: “other similar accommodations for individuals with disabilities.”

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WWE great The Undertaker is 50 years old. He’s an eight-time Heavyweight Champion. But, his greatest feat is never missing one of my posts his streak of 21 consecutive wins at Wrestlemania. But then, at Wrestlemania XXX, the streak ended.

Do you think that The Undertaker’s age motivated the WWE’s decision to script this loss — yes, sorry, it’s scripted? In that context, the notion of age discrimination seems silly. But, what about at work?

Where a 20-year employee with an exemplary record is suddenly fired…

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BlackJackBarMitzvah

Something else you may not know about me.

On Saturday evenings, I crash Bar Mitzvahs and hustle blackjack. And then I’m like…

But then, on Sunday, it’s back the Bloggerdome for a new post. For this one, let’s talk about R. Kelly a recent Fourth Circuit decision in which the appellate court recognized that a single incident — one touch — may create a hostile work environment.

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I’m feeling generous today. And that’s strange because usually I spend my Fridays dangling hundred dollar bills down to the street from a fishing pole in my office, trying to avoid the catch. But, the past few days changed my mindset.

You see, earlier in the week I was introduced to an in-house lawyer who was seeking information on the Family and Medical Leave Act. And, as it so happens, yesterday I received an email from a reader of the blog. Well, not just any reader. This email was from one of my best readers. And she just started a new FMLA blog called Matrix Radar: Adventures in Absence Management and Accommodation. The name alone sounds like something that would not only satisfy the needs of the biggest FMLA dork, but also supply me with the Director’s Cut of Neo and Trinity rescuing Morpheus.

Well, 50% ain’t bad. And I recommend that y’all check out Matrix Radar.

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Well, damn.

To those who you who receive my blog posts via email, I’m sorry. Yesterday, we had some technical difficulties and my card check post didn’t make it into your inbox.  I realize that for some of you — ok, all of you — my blog posts are an icy-cold bottle of beer in the arid desert that is your mid-week slog. Again, I’m sorry. I’ll release the wrongdoers from the shackles in my basement do better.

But just to be safe, as a Versace belt to the Hermes suspenders, you may want to like The Employer Handbook on Facebook. Every post is shared there.

Now, back to employment law and what-not.

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Bernie Sanders by Gage Skidmore.jpgRemember the Employee Free Choice Act? Back in 2009, the Employee Free Choice Act, also known as “card check,” was introduced in both the Senate and House. The bill had three components:

  1. Requiring that an employer recognize a union if over half of the employees in the proposed bargaining unit signed union authorization cards (as opposed to voting for a union through a secret-ballot process);
  2. Expedited contract negotiations; and
  3. Harsher fines for unfair labor practices

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Mr. Burns

“Smithers, refill my lime rickey. And find me a dunce cap. Post haste.”

The Americans with Disabilities Act requires employers to provide a reasonable accommodation, upon request, to an individual with a disability to enable that person to perform the essential functions of the job. Oftentimes, the questions arises: What are the essential functions of the job?

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My readers are the best!

On Friday, I received two emails within 15 minutes of one another, encouraging me to blog about this story. Kenneth Hilario at the Philadelphia Business Journal writes about an employee of an NJ company who is suing her employer. What makes this story special? The company allegedly fired the spouse’s husband, the company’s controller, because of his “extreme gas and uncontrollable diarrhea.”

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