Employer Will Pay $160K to Settle Suit Over Telework Denial to Accommodate Disability

A Georgia-based health services provider has agreed to pay $160,000 to settle allegations that it violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by unilaterally placing an employee on unpaid leave instead of accommodating her disability. The employee initially asked to telecommute for three weeks as an accommodation for her disability, in accordance with her doctor’s recommendation to stay off her feet. The employer originally allowed her to telework for a week, but then reversed its decision and unilaterally placed her on unpaid leave without benefits for four months, despite the fact she could perform the essential functions of her job.