Coordina ting Complia nc e with F ML A, ADAA, a nd Wo rke r s - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Feb 29, 2024 169 likes •239 views

2 Coordina ting Complia nc e with F ML A, ADAA, a nd Wo rke r s ADA/ F ML A/ WF E A/ WC in Co mpe nsa tio n I nte ra c tio ns De a ling with Injure d T he Be rmuda T ria ng le E mploye e s Oc tobe r 4- 5, 2017 Give n

SLIDE 1

1

Oc tobe r 4- 5, 2017 Country Spring s Hote l

Pre se nte d By:

L a urie A. Pe te rse n Je nna K . L e slie L indne r & Ma rsa c k, S.C. 411 E . Wisc o nsin Ave nue , Suite 1800 Milwa uke e , Wisc o nsin 53202-4498 (414) 273-3910 www.lindne r-ma rsa c k.c o m

Coordina ting Complia nc e with ADA/ F ML A/ WF E A/ WC in De a ling with Injure d E mploye e s F ML A, ADAA, a nd Wo rke r’ s Co mpe nsa tio n I nte ra c tio ns

T he Be rmuda T ria ng le

 Give n the c o mple x inte rpla y b e twe e n F

ML A, ADAAA, a nd Wo rke r’ s Co mpe nsa tio n, it is e a sy fo r e mplo ye rs to g e t lo st. He nc e , the thre e a re o mino usly re fe rre d to a s T he Be rmuda T ria ng le .

 E

mplo ye rs c a nno t a ssume tha t a n e mplo ye e q ua lifie s fo r pro te c tio n unde r o ne la w o nly o r e a c h la w simply b e c a use the e mplo ye e q ua lifie s unde r o ne .

T he L a ws

 ADAAA: pro hib its disc rimina tio n a g a inst

e mplo ye e ’ s who a re c o nside re d “q ua lifie d individua ls” with a disa bility

 F

ML A: pro vide s le a ve sta nda rds fo r e mplo ye e s who ha ve a “se rio us he a lth c o nditio n” o r a fa mily me mb e r with a se rio us he a lth c o nditio n, plus fo r the b irth o f a c hild a nd po stpa rtum c a re

 Also pro vide s le a ve sta nda rds fo r Milita ry c a re g ive r

le a ve a nd q ua lifying e xig e nc y le a ve .

 Wo rke r’ s Co mpe nsa tio n: pro vide s fo r tre a tme nt,

re ha b ilita tio n a nd c o mpe nsa tio n fo r e mplo ye e s who suffe r “wo rk-re la te d” injurie s

Co ve re d E mplo ye rs

 ADAAA – E

mplo ye rs with 15 o r mo re e mplo ye e s fo r e a c h o f 20 o r mo re c a le nda r we e ks in c urre nt o r pre c e ding ye a r

 F

ML A – 50 o r mo re e mplo ye e s within a 75 mile ra dius fo r a t le a st 20 we e ks in c urre nt o r pre c e ding ye a r

 Wo rke r’ s Co mpe nsa tio n – c o ve ra g e va rie s b y sta te

SLIDE 2

2

Co ve re d E mplo ye e s

 ADAAA – e mplo ye e with a disa bility must b e

q ua lifie d a nd a b le to pe rfo rm e sse ntia l func tio ns o f the jo b with o r witho ut re a so na b le a c c o mmo da tio ns

 F

ML A – e mplo ye e with a “se rio us he a lth c o nditio n” must ha ve wo rke d a t le a st 12 mo nths a nd 1,250 ho urs to b e e lig ib le

 Wo rke r’ s Co mpe nsa tio n – e mplo ye e must ha ve

suffe re d a n injury a rising o ut o f the c o urse a nd sc o pe o f e mplo yme nt

E nfo rc e me nt Autho ritie s

 ADAAA – E

q ua l E mplo yme nt Oppo rtunity Co mmissio n

 F

e de ra l c o urt litig a tio n.

 F

ML A – De pa rtme nt o f L a b o r. Be a wa re o f sta te le a ve la ws a s we ll

 14 sta te s c urre ntly ha ve sta te le a ve la ws  Wisc o nsin is o ne o f the m

 Wo rke r’ s Co mpe nsa tio n – Sta te De pa rtme nts o f

L a b o r o r the e q uiva le nt

 Ge ne ra lly sta te a dministra tive a c tio ns

Ob lig a tio ns

 ADAAA/ WF

E A – fo r disa b le d e mplo ye e s, Wisc o nsin e mplo ye rs o b lig a te d to a ddre ss disa bilitie s a nd re a so na b ly a c c o mmo da te unle ss undue ha rdship

 F

ML A/ WF ML A – 12 we e ks/ 2 we e ks o f jo b -pro te c te d le a ve

 Wo rke r’ s Co mpe nsa tio n – unlimite d le a ve during

re c o ve ry fro m wo rk-re la te d injury

Ob lig a tio ns

Ho we ve r, Wisc o nsin e mplo ye rs a re not o b lig a te d to :

 ADAA/ WF

E A: Give pre fe re nc e , c re a te a po sitio n o r pe rmit o the rwise una c c e pta b le / unsa fe c o nduc t o r pe rmit una c c e pta b le sa fe ty risks

 F

ML A/ WF ML A: pro vide a ny mo re tha n 12 we e ks unde r F ML A/ 2 we e ks unde r WF ML A

 Wo rke r’ s Co mpe nsa tio n: no t re q uire d to pro vide

lig ht duty o r re turn e mplo ye e no t fit fo r duty

SLIDE 3

3 L e a ve L imita tio ns

 ADAAA – No limita tio n. Re a so na b le

a c c o mmo da tio n c a n b e pe rma ne ntly in pla c e

 Re c e nt c a se la w re : le a ve a s re a so na b le

a c c o mmo da tio n

 F

ML A – q ua lifying e mplo ye e re c e ive s up to 12 we e ks o f le a ve in a 12-mo nth pe rio d

 Wo rke rs’ Co mpe nsa tio n – no spe c ific limit o n le a ve

Re insta te me nt Re q uire me nts

 ADAAA – Re insta te me nt to pre vio us jo b is re q uire d

unle ss e mplo ye r e sta b lishe s undue ha rdship

 F

ML A – Re insta te me nt to the sa me o r e q uiva le nt jo b is re q uire d

 Wo rke r’ s Co mpe nsa tio n – mo st sta te s do no t re q uire

re insta te me nt, b ut so me do . Re ta lia to ry disc ha rg e / unre a so na b le re fusa l to re hire my a pply a s we ll.

E sta b lishing E mplo ye e E lig ib ility

 ADAA – jo b -re la te d me dic a l e xa mina tio ns o r inq uirie s

re g a rding a n e mplo ye e ’ s a sse rte d disa b ility to de te rmine the e mplo ye e ’ s a b ility to pe rfo rm the e sse ntia l func tio ns o f the jo b

 Also de te rmine s whe the r a c c o mmo da tio n is ne e de d a nd

wo uld b e e ffe c tive .

 F

ML A – me dic a l c e rtific a tio n o f the ne e d fo r le a ve e sta b lishing e mplo ye e ’ s “se rio us he a lth c o nditio n” o r tha t o f a fa mily me mb e r

 Wo rke r’ s Co mpe nsa tio n – me dic a l do c ume nta tio n tha t

e sta b lishe s the e mplo ye e ’ s injury a nd its wo rk- re la te dne ss

Re stric tio ns a nd L ig ht Duty

 ADAAA – e mplo ye rs a re re q uire d to re a so na b ly

a c c o mmo da te e mplo ye e s’ disa bilitie s a b se nt undue ha rdship

 F

ML A – e mplo ye rs c a nno t re q uire e mplo ye e s to re turn to wo rk with re stric tio ns o r o n lig ht duty

 Wo rke r’ s Co mpe nsa tio n – lig ht duty it no t re q uire d,

b ut e mplo ye rs a re e nc o ura g e d to b ring e mplo ye e s b a c k to wo rk in so me c a pa c ity, if po ssib le

SLIDE 4

4 Co nta c ting the Physic ia n

 ADAAA – e mplo ye rs ma y inte ra c t with physic ia ns

to fa c ilita te the re a so na b le a c c o mmo da tio n pro c e ss

 F

ML A – e mplo ye rs ma y no t dire c tly c o nta c t the physic ia n

 Wo rke r’ s Co mpe nsa tio n – e mplo ye e o rdina rily

wa ive s physic ia n-pa tie nt privile g e whe n filing a WC c la im; the re fo re , e mplo ye r ha s a c c e ss to pa tie nt re c o rds re a so na b ly re la te d to injury

F itne ss fo r Duty

 ADAAA – e mplo ye rs c a n re q uire e xa mina tio n so

lo ng a s it is jo b -re la te d a nd ne c e ssa ry to de te rmine e mplo ye e ’ s c a pa b ility fo r the jo b a nd whe the r a c c o mmo da tio n will b e ne e de d

 F

ML A – c a n o nly b e re q uire d if suc h e xa mina tio ns a re c o nsiste ntly re q uire d o f a ll e mplo ye e s o n simila r le a ve s o f a b se nc e

 Wo rke r’ s Co mpe nsa tio n – typic a lly is re q uire d;

po ssib ly in the fo rm o f a n I nde pe nde nt Me dic a l E va lua tio n

E mplo ye e Be ne fits while o n L e a ve

 ADAAA – no spe c ific re q uire me nts b ut c a nno t

disc rimina te

 Sa me b e ne fits must b e pro vide d fo r a ll le a ve s o f

a b se nc e , whe the r ADAAA o r o the rwise .

 F

ML A – he a lth c o ve ra g e must b e c o ntinue d. Othe r b e ne fits a re e sta b lishe d b y the e mplo ye rs’ po lic ie s re la te d to c o ntinua tio n o f b e ne fits while o n le a ve .

 Wo rke r’ s Co mpe nsa tio n – no t re q uire d in mo st

sta te s, b ut b e c a re ful o f le a ve tha t is c o nc urre nt with F ML A le a ve

T e rmina tio n o f E mplo yme nt

 ADAAA – te rmina tio n o f e mplo yme nt is le g a l if no

re a so na b le a c c o mmo da tio n c a n b e ma de a nd a va ila b le le a ve is e xha uste d

 F

ML A – E mplo ye e c a nno t b e te rmina te d while c o ve re d unde r the F ML A

 Wo rke r’ s Co mpe nsa tio n – e mplo ye r ma y te rmina te

the e mplo ye e ’ s e mplo yme nt, b ut must b e wa ry o f unre a so na b le re fusa ls to re hire a nd disc rimina tio n

SLIDE 5

5 Co nc urre nt L e a ve

 F

ML A le a ve a nd wo rke r’ s c o mpe nsa tio n le a ve ma y run c o nc urre ntly a s lo ng a s the e mplo ye e ’ s wo rk- re la te d injury c o nstitute s a “se rio us me dic a l c o nditio n.”

 E

mplo ye e re c e ive s wo rke r’ s c o mpe nsa tio n b e ne fits, i.e ., re pla c e me nt o f lo st wa g e s, a nd the e mplo ye r is re q uire d to c o ntinue he a lth insura nc e b e ne fits unde r F ML A.

Dra fting Co nsiste nt Po lic ie s

 Po lic ie s sho uld a c kno wle dg e tha t the y

c o nte mpla te ADAAA, F ML A, a nd Wo rke r’ s Co mpe nsa tio n.

 Cruc ia l to e ffe c tive po lic y dra fting is a tho ro ug h

re vie w o f the la ws, b o th sta te a nd fe de ra l.

 E

mplo ye e s sho uld b e no tifie d tha t sta te a nd fe de ra l le a ve will run c o nc urre ntly so lo ng a s a llo we d b y la w.

 E

mplo ye e s sho uld a lso b e ma de a wa re tha t le a ve unde r the se la ws will a lso run c o nc urre ntly with

the r le a ve a llo we d b y the e mplo ye r.

Po lic y Dra fting c o ntinue d…

 L

e a ve po lic ie s sho uld pro vide the spe c ific situa tio ns in whic h le a ve a pplie s unde r e a c h la w.

 Inc lude the re q uire me nt o f “disa b ility” unde r the ADAAA,

“se rio us he a lth c o nditio n” unde r the F ML A, a nd “wo rk- re la te d” injury unde r WC.

 Po lic ie s sho uld info rm e mplo ye e s o f ma nne r in whic h

pa id le a ve c a n b e ta ke n.

 Wo rke r’ s c o mpe nsa tio n le a ve is c o nside re d pa id le a ve .  E

mplo ye rs c a n run F ML A le a ve c o nc urre ntly with WC a nd sub stitute o the r pa id le a ve , suc h a s va c a tio n; ho we ve r sta te la ws ma y diffe r in this re spe c t.

 Ma ke sure tha t WC injury q ua lifie s a s “se rio us he a lth

c o nditio n.”

Po lic y Dra fting c o ntinue d…

 E

mplo ye rs sho uld re vie w a ll jo b de sc riptio ns to a ssure tha t “e sse ntia l func tio ns” o f e a c h jo b a re a c c ura te a nd re fle c t a c tua l func tio ns o f the po sitio n.

 Unifo rm jo b q ua lific a tio n re q uire me nts a re e ffe c tive

nly if the re q uire me nts a re a c tua lly ne c e ssa ry fo r

the jo b .

 L

e a ve po lic ie s sho uld b e fle xib le .

 Unde r the ADAAA, re stric tive , infle xib le le a ve

po lic ie s a re unde r c o nside ra b le sc rutiny.

SLIDE 6

6 T ro ub le sho o ting Co mple x L e a ve o f Ab se nc e I ssue s

 E

ve n tho ug h a n e mplo ye e ma y ha ve e xha uste d F ML A a nd o the r c o mpa ny-o ffe re d le a ve , e mplo ye rs must b e willing to c o nside r a dditio na l le a ve .

 Must b e a wa re , ho we ve r, tha t just b e c a use a

c o nditio n q ua lifie s a n e mplo ye e fo r F ML A le a ve , the e mplo ye e is no t ne c e ssa rily “disa b le d” unde r the ADAAA.

 I

n tho se insta nc e s, a dditio na l le a ve ma y no t b e re q uire d.

21 22

T e rmina tio n Of E mplo ye e s On L e a ve

 ADA – must g ive c o nside ra tio n to re a so na b le

a c c o mmo da tio n. T he re is no b rig ht line te st fo r whe n a n e mplo ye e ma y b e te rmina te d.

 F

ML A – e ve n if pe rma ne nt re stric tio ns, must a llo w to e xha ust F ML

A. Do e s no t me a n supe r-se nio rity

ho we ve r.

 Wo rke r’ s Co mpe nsa tio n: if te rmina te d during a

“he a ling pe rio d,” o r imme dia te ly fo llo wing a re turn fro m WC, e mplo ye rs fa c e a po te ntia l wro ng ful disc ha rg e c la im

QUE ST IONS

L a urie A. Pe te rse n Je nna K. L e slie L indne r & Ma r sa c k, S.C. 411 E . Wisc onsin Ave nue , Suite 1800 Milwa uke e , WI 53202- 4498 (414) 273- 3910 lpe te rse n@lindne r- ma rsa c k.c om jle slie @lindne r

ma rsa c k.c om