Can your employer get in trouble for not accommodating to your autoimmune disease?
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Can your employer get in trouble for not accommodating to your autoimmune disease?
I have an autoimmune disease that the
environment that I work in is making me very
sick. I reached out to HR and asked about sick
leave and they said I did not meet the
requirements for it. I applied for office positions
throughout the company to get me away from
the environment and they keep putting me off. I
gave two weeks notice, and then they placed
me on unpaid leave until November and then I
will not have a job. They are not giving me a
chance to switch to an office position. Can I do
anything about this?
Asked on October 14, 2016 under Employment Labor Law, Oregon
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 7 years ago | Contributor
You can't do anything. A legally required accommodation is one that will let you do *your current job* and which is not too expensive or disruptive to the employer (e.g. it must be a "reasonable accommodation"). So you could potentially ask for safety goggles and a face mask, if such would help you, and they would most likely have to supply same. But they do not need to give you a different job other than the one you are doing; so the law does not require them to give you an office position instead of your current job.
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