Rigid Leave Policies May Conflict With ADA, Employers Warned

Having a maximum-absence policy that is set in stone can cause an employer to run afoul of the Americans with Disabilities Act, disability experts said in a recent webinar. Additional leave beyond that included in a company’s policy may be needed to accommodate an employee who has a disability, the speakers said. “Where you get in trouble with these policies is if you’re making automatic decisions at that maximum amount of leave,” said Daris Freeman, assistant vice president and counsel for benefits provider Unum. “As an employer you need to provide an indiv...