After exposing her workplace for not accommodating her dyslexia and ADHD, a woman went viral on social media. Unfortunately, this experience is shared by many people with disabilities.
Keystone, a prominent northern Indiana RV manufacturer, was sued by federal officials on Wednesday for alleged disability discrimination against an employee. According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission lawsuit, a disabled employee was let go because he needed time off for appointments and surgery. The business apparently was aware that he has cystinuria.
Cystinuria is a hereditary metabolic disorder characterized by high levels of undissolved cystine and three chemically related amino acids, including arginine, lysine, and ornithine, in the urine. Crystals and stones (calculi) may form in the kidney, bladder, and/or urinary tract as a result of too much cystine in the urine. Some patients with cystinuria do not develop stones at all, whereas others do.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) forbids discrimination against persons with disabilities in a variety of settings, including employment, transportation, public accommodations, communication, and access to state and local government programs and services. This law protects employers and businesses from disability-based discrimination.
The ADA is not enforced by the Department of Labor, but it does “offer publications and other technical assistance on the basic requirements of the law, including covered employers’ obligation to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified job applicants and employees with disabilities,” according to the Department of Labor. This law covers a variety of disabilities, including dyslexia and ADHD.
As a person living with Cerebral Palsy, I have also been denied accommodations in the workplace. I require help with activities of daily living and hire PCAs to help me with bathing, using the bathroom, and getting dressed, among other tasks. My request for this accommodation is always denied when I bring it up to prospective employers.
Reasonable accommodations are necessary for many disabled people in the workplace. Without accommodations, many of us would be unable to work at all. Employers should accommodate people with disabilities. Data shows that we are reliable, creative, and hardworking, but employers will never see that if we are discriminated against.
Sources:
“All in: Easterseals Plan for Disability Equity.” Easterseals, Easterseals, https://www.easterseals.com/our-programs/employment-training/all-in/.
“Cystinuria.” NORD (National Organization for Rare Disorders), National Organization for Rare Disorders, 4 June 2020, https://rarediseases.org/rare-diseases/cystinuria/.
Heald, Melody. “’I Got Fired from My Job for Requiring Accommodations’: Worker Exposes Company HR for Not Accommodating Her for Her Disabilities.” The Daily Dot, The Daily Dot, 2 Oct. 2022, https://www.dailydot.com/irl/hr-exposed-not-accommodating-disabilities/.
Rayes, Adam. “Feds Allege Keystone RV Discriminated against Worker with Disability.” Indiana Public Media, Indiana Public Media, 3 Oct. 2022, https://indianapublicmedia.org/news/feds-allege-keystone-rv-discriminated-against-worker-with-disability.php.