The Tampa Bay Times published an article, “Disabled veterans say St. Petersburg VA is discriminating with back-to-work policy,” about the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs’ continuing efforts to revoke telework accommodations from employees with disabilities. Politics Reporter Katelyn Ferral describes the struggles of VA employees in Tampa Bay who have been ordered to return to the office, contrary to their doctors’ orders. Some of these employees are veterans who were permitted to telework as a reasonable accommodation for service-related disabilities. The VA has offered accommodations such as breaks to exercise and access to shower facilities as alternatives to telework. According to the article, however, these alternatives are ineffective. The article quotes Courtney on the effects of revoking telework accommodations:
“They are effectively denying a reasonable accommodation by calling it an alternative that is plainly ineffective,” said Courtney Mickman, one of the employees’ attorneys and a former Equal Employment Opportunity Commission judge who specializes in federal labor law. She said it will cost the government millions to handle disability discrimination complaints.
Read the full article here.
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