Maryland ADA Compliance Attorneys

Representing Disabled Workers Throughout Maryland

Regardless of your job, our careers are integral parts of our lives. Whether you’re a hardworking professional who is eager to climb the corporate ladder or simply content to work a day job that allows plenty of time for hobbies and passions outside of work, your livelihood is a key factor when it comes to economic security and personal fulfillment.

Our Maryland employment lawyers understand how workplace discrimination can degrade workers’ confidence, identity, and self-worth. For disabled individuals, the right to work in a non-discriminatory environment can be all the more complex. From addressing unconscious biases in the workplace to holding employers accountable for unethical behavior, The Law Office of Andrew M. Dansicker, LLC has the specialized legal knowledge needed to aggressively protect your rights.

Facing disability discrimination at work? Contact us online to discuss your case with a skilled ADA violations attorney in Maryland.

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA)

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in various aspects of public life, including employment. The ADA was enacted to ensure disabled individuals can access equal employment opportunities, public accommodations, transportation, and more.

In employment law, the ADA protects disabled employees from discrimination by requiring employers to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities unless doing so would impose an undue burden on the company as a whole.

What Constitutes a Reasonable Accommodation?

Reasonable accommodations are intended to help disabled workers perform essential job functions effectively. Under the ADA, a “reasonable accommodation” is defined as any modification or adjustment to the workplace that enables a disabled employee to perform the essential functions of their job.

Consider these common examples of reasonable accommodations in the workplace:

• Assistive Technologies: This may include specialized computer software, screen readers, voice recognition software, or other assistive devices that help individuals with visual impairments, hearing loss, or mobility limitations perform their job tasks.
• Flexible Scheduling: Employers may allow employees to have flexible working hours or part-time schedules to accommodate medical appointments, therapy sessions, or rest periods due to a disability.
• Modifications to Physical Environment: Adjustments to the physical workspace, such as installing ramps, widening doorways, or providing accessible bathrooms, can make the workplace more accessible for individuals with mobility impairments.
• Job Restructuring: Employers may reassign marginal job tasks to other employees or modify job responsibilities to accommodate an individual's disability while still ensuring that the essential functions of the job are performed.
• Telework or Remote Work: In certain circumstances, allowing employees to work remotely can be a reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities that limit their ability to commute or work in a traditional office setting.

5 Examples of Disability Discrimination at Work

In Maryland, disability discrimination can manifest in various ways. Some common examples of disability discrimination include (but aren’t limited to):

1. Refusal to hire –Employers may unlawfully reject qualified candidates with disabilities based on stereotypes or assumptions about their job abilities.
2. Wrongful termination or demotion –Unlawfully firing or demoting an employee because of their disability, even if they are qualified and capable of performing the essential job functions.
3. Denying reasonable accommodations –Failing to provide necessary accommodations that would enable a disabled employee to perform their job effectively unless doing so would cause undue hardship.
4. Harassment –Subjecting an employee to derogatory comments, offensive jokes, or other forms of harassment based on their disability.
5. Failure to Promote –Denying disabled employees opportunities for advancement or promotion solely based on their disability.