Sometimes it is not the big-ticket accommodations that land an employer in court. It is the small ones, like a few stretch breaks, that can become costly mistakes.
TL;DR: A federal judge in Illinois refused to dismiss an ADA lawsuit after an employee alleged that her employer denied requests for FMLA leave and short hourly stretch breaks to relieve pain from a foot injury, then terminated her the very next day. The court held that the allegations, if true, plausibly state claims for disability discrimination, retaliation, and failure to accommodate. Employers should take note: denying seemingly minor accommodations can set the stage for potential legal exposure.
An Employee Walks 15,000 Steps a Day
According to the complaint, the employee worked in a physically demanding role, walking about 15,000 steps per shift while lifting, stacking, and jumping…………………………