When: Wednesday, August 31, 2011 (12:00 – 1:15 p.m. CDT)

On Wednesday, August 31, I will host a complimentary webinar addressing key questions and topics essential to understanding an employer’s obligation to provide leave as a reasonable accommodation under the ADA.  I am extremely pleased to be joined by EEOC Regional Attorney John Hendrickson, who has led the EEOC’s litigation regarding “leave” as a reasonable accommodation.

This webinar comes at a critical time for employers. One of the most frequent inquiries I receive from clients involves the extent to which they must provide a leave of absence to an employee with a medical condition or disability — whether before or after the employee’s FMLA leave has expired.  Employers now are even more anxious about this issue in light of the EEOC’s aggressive position that “automatic termination” provisions are invalid.  As a result, employers are left confused as to their obligations under the law.

John and I will hit these issues head on with the hope that employers leave with a better understanding of their obligations in this area of the law.  We will cover questions such as:

  • When must an employer consider leave as a reasonable accommodation?
  • What are an employer’s obligations to an employee when FMLA leave expires?
  • What must an employer do to come into compliance with the EEOC’s position on “automatic termination” provisions?
  • What is the takeaway from the EEOC’s litigation involving automatic termination provisions (e.g., EEOC v. Sears; EEOC v. Supervalu, etc.)?
  • When is a leave of absence not considered “reasonable” or an undue hardship?
  • How should employers and employee best communicate about the need for leave?