Here’s a common situation, an employee calls in sick and a couple of days later you receive a doctor’s note taking the employee off work for 2 weeks.  If you are an employer with 5 or more employees in California, you are subject to the anti-discrimination provisions of the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (“FEHA”).  If you have 15 or more employees, you are also subject to the Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”).  Both laws require employers to find a reasonable accommodation for an employee who suffers a physical or mental disability so that the employee could return to work.  California employers have the added duty to engage in the interactive process in good faith.  The interactive process is simply engaging the employee in a dialogue to understand their restrictions and available accommodations. Why does it matter? From a management perspective, truly engaging in the interactive process and making the appropriate efforts to accommodate a disabled employee shows all your workers that they are valued beyond being merely disposable workers.  From a legal/monetary standpoint, doing it right will prevent … Continue reading →