Los Angeles Disability Discrimination Lawyer

Is your employer discriminating against you for a disability?

At Martinian & Associates INC., our job as Los Angeles employment attorneys is to protect employees in the greater Los Angeles area from various types of discrimination that are illegal. One of those types of illegal discrimination is discrimination because of a disability.

What constitutes disability discrimination?

Disability discrimination is when an employer, supervisor or coworker discriminates against or harasses an employee because of a disability, in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act and/or the Rehabilitation Act. If your employer is a covered employee under one or both of these acts, then it is illegal for them to mistreat a disabled employee or a disabled person applying for a job. It also prevents discrimination or mistreatment of employees who have a history of disability or impairment.

Employers covered under either of these acts are also required by law to accommodate their disabled employees, unless doing so would create an undue financial hardship. For example, if an employee is wheelchair-bound, the employer is required by law to provide an alternative to stairs such as ramps or an elevator. Failure to accommodate disabled employees when the employer has every means to do so can constitute disability discrimination.

Other things that might qualify include:

• Refusing to hire an employee because of their disability (or history of disability) provided that said disability would not impede the individual from performing their job duties.
• Firing an employee because they are injured on the job and require disability leave.
• Reducing an employee's salary because the employer found out of the employee's history of disability and/or illness.

What Is and What Isn't Considered a "Disability"

According to the EEOC, "Not everyone with a medical condition is protected by the law." For example, if an individual is disabled but also not qualified for a certain job position, it would not be against the law for the employer not to hire this individual. There are also certain medical conditions that do not qualify as "disabilities."

There are only three ways an individual can prove a disability:

1. If an individual has a physical or mental condition that prohibits them from performing average, everyday tasks such as walking, talking, learning, etc.
2. If an individual can prove that they have a history of disability, such as an illness or injury that may come back in the future.
3. If an individual can prove they have a physical or mental condition that is permanent (occurring for at least six months) and relatively major.

Americans with Disabilities Act and Rehabilitation Act

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law in 1990 and makes it illegal for employers, supervisors and coworkers to discriminate against an employee or potential hire because of a disability. The Rehabilitation Act provides services such as vocational rehabilitation, supported employment and other assistance to employees with disabilities. In most cases, employees are covered by one of these anti-disability discrimination acts.

Call a Los Angeles Employment Attorney

If you or someone you love is being discriminated against because of a disability or history of disability, then you may be entitled to file an employee claim against your employer for violation of anti-disability discrimination laws. The Los Angeles employment law attorneys at Martinian & Associates INC. are here for you to guide you through the legal process to a successful resolution.

Call today for your free case evaluation!