This week’s blog entry explores how an employer might go about bulletproofing just what are the essential functions of a job. The case for the week is In the Matter of Rachael Smelyansky v. New York State Office of Gen. Services, here, decided by the State of New York’s Appellate Division on June 11,
Title I
Qualified/Otherwise Qualified and Failure to Accommodate: Lots of Easy to Understand Thoughts Emanating from the Eighth Circuit
By William Goren on
Before getting started on the blog entry of the week, I wanted to pass along that the Federal Bar Association has announced its award recipients for this year. I am quite honored to be the recipient of the Sarah T. Hughes Civil Rights Award (the history of that award can be found here). I…
Failure to Utilize Internal Reasonable Accommodation Policy Just Might Torpedo a Failure to Accommodate Claim
By William Goren on
This week’s blog entry focuses on an unpublished decision, Woodie v. Motorola Solutions, Inc. from the Sixth Circuit decided on March 10, 2025, here. The case highlights the importance of a person with a disability intentionally not pursuing any internal processes for requesting an accommodation. There is well reasoned dissent as well. As usual,…
What’s in a Name Matters: Is it Coaching or is it Impermissible Medical Exams/Disability Related Inquiries
By William Goren on
This week’s blog entry is a case that has been previously blogged on by others in the blogosphere. Robin Shea in her blog blogged on our case of the week, here. However, as readers know, there are occasions where I will blog on a case that someone else has talked about first when I…
The Scope of the Ending Forced Arbitration Act When it Comes to Related Claims
By William Goren on
Before getting started on the blog entry for the week, last week, the Federal Bar Association blog posted my piece on the interactive process. It’s an unusual piece of writing in that it talks about the step-by-step approach to the interactive process AND the psychological overtones of the process. Again, as I mentioned in that…
Work Product Privilege and AI an Issue Just Not Going Away
By William Goren on
This week is disability awareness week. I suppose every week is disability awareness week for me😊. In keeping with the spirit of the week, we have another blog entry.
Previously, we have blogged on whether the work product privilege is jeopardized by the use of AI. In that blog entry, here, we talked…
Looking for Clues: Is a Failure to Accommodate an Adverse Action Post Muldrow?
By William Goren on
I hope everyone is enjoying the start of baseball season. The NCAA’s women tournament is about to get very interesting now that they are in a situation where the likelihood, though you never know for sure, is that the top seeds from each region will be in the final four. On the men’s side the…
Attorneys Representing Federal Employees With Disabilities Need to Prepare for a Lot More Business
By William Goren on
Before getting started on the blog entry of the week, an update on the Beaumont Hospital case that we have blogged on twice before. See this blog entry. The update is a consent decree was signed requiring training and a $30,000 payment to the plaintiff. It also has a length of 18 months. I…
Motion to Dismiss Denial of a Service Animal Goes Down in Flames
By William Goren on
The Society of Human Resources Management is not the only employer facing litigation for denying a service animal. On January 13, 2026, the Flaming Gorge Resort saw its motion to dismiss with respect to its denial of a service animal for an employee go down in flames (pun intended). The case is O’Connor v. Colett’s…
SHRM Service Dog Litigation: Answer and Possible Defenses
By William Goren on
This week’s blog entry considers the Society for Human Resource Management answer to the complaint of Fiona Torres in her case saying SHRM violated the ADA by not allowing her to have her service dog when it rescinded a conditional job offer. In the interest of full disclosure, many years ago I did speak to…