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Before Changing Or Adjusting Your Medications, Consider Letting Your Employer Know.  Why?

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At-Will? The Reality Is There Is Often A Reason

I have discussions with many people about the at-will nature of employment these days, about how either party can terminate the employment relationship on a whim.  But let’s be honest.  Terminating the employment relationship, by either the employee or the employer, for no reason, rarely happens.  There is usually a reason.  The employee quit for a better opportunity, or the employer replaced the employee for a better opportunity.  Sometimes it has nothing to do with work and has to do with some sort of conflict.  A lot of times it has to do with money.

Many medical conditions and disabilities are protected categories.  Unlike other protected categories, such as race, people don’t hate someone because they have a medical condition such as cancer.  What employers and supervisors have animosity towards is missed work.

A Reasonable Accommodation Can Be Time Off

Doctors and medical providers have the same business hours as most employees which means employees must miss work for treatment or check ups.  This time off can be a reasonable accommodation.  But here is the issue.

Reasonable Accommodations Are Prospective In Nature

The duty of an employer to provide a reasonable accommodation to an employee with a disability under the American with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) and California’s Fair Employment & Housing Act (“FEHA”) is prospective in nature.  What does this mean?

Let’s say an employee with a medical condition needs to change their medication pursuant to their doctor’s orders.  But, the change in medication causes temporary adverse effects on the employee, such as moodiness or lack of focus.  Then the lack of focus causes an error in work performance resulting in a write-up, or worse, termination.

When informing the employee of the discipline, the employee states, “but it is because my doctor changed my medications and I have the doctor’s notes.”   Because the duty to provide a reasonable accommodation is prospective, and in the situation where the employer was never notified, the employer is not required to reverse their decision to discipline the employee.

What Is Right vs. What Is Legal – Do You Know Your HR?

I agree the right thing to do would be to forgive the employee.  However, I was reading an article recently for HR professionals where many were posting their approval of not having to reverse their employment decisions.  It was shocking to me that so many were more interested in disciplining the employee rather than doing what was right.

Putting Your Employer On Notice Of Your Disability And Need For Accommodation Helps Protect Your Rights

If you have a disability or medical condition, consider putting your employer on notice of it and inform them of your potential needs.  Your disability and/or medical condition may not affect your job generally, but on occasions where you need time off to visit your doctor, rest after a treatment, or adjust to medications, putting your employer on notice prior to your need can protect your job.

Are there those employers and supervisors that will discriminate against you because of their fear you are going to miss work?  Unfortunately, yes.  However, in vindicating your rights, you must prove that your employer knew or should have known of your disability and need for accommodation.  That is so much easier to do with an email from you to your employer stating such as opposed to your testimony that you told your manager, or that your manager should have known by way of vague references during discussions.

You Still Have To Prove Your Claims

Following this course will not mean that you will win in a lawsuit.  You must prove your claims that you were harassed or discriminated against unlawfully.  The point here is to never give your employer an excuse to justify terminating your employment and escape liability for their or their supervisor’s unlawful harassment/discrimination.

Use Common Sense & Contact An Employment Lawyer

This is not intended to be legal advice, but rather this is a general common-sense approach to a difficult situation employees experience.  If you feel you are being treated unfairly in the workplace, contact me, or another competent employment law attorney for legal advice for your specific situation.

This article is made available by THE TIBOR LAW FIRM, A.P.C. for educational purposes only as well as to provide general information and a general understanding of legal issues, and not to provide specific legal advice.  By reading this and/or commenting, you understand that there is no attorney client relationship between you and THE TIBOR LAW FIRM, A.P.C.  The information contained herein should not be used as a substitute for competent legal advice from a licensed professional attorney in your state.

CALIFORNIA’S ATTORNEY FIGHTING FOR THE EMPLOYEE

Coronavirus Update:   MY EMPLOYER JUST CUT MY HOURS DUE TO A WORK SLOWDOWN OR STOPPAGE RELATED TO THE CORONAVIRUS.  WHAT ARE MY RIGHTS?

 

 

The Attention, Honesty, & Experience You Deserve

THE TIBOR LAW FIRM, A.P.C. provides the highest quality of advocacy for employees.  David F. Tibor spent almost a decade working for large plaintiff employment firms securing millions of dollars each year for his clients.  Now you get the large plaintiff firm experience without being passed off to young associates and/or paralegals.  Mr. Tibor has dedicated his career to employee rights and now with the boutique firm model, Mr. Tibor directly handles every aspect of every case including every communication with witnesses, opposing counsel, and most importantly, you, the client.  From Shasta County to San Diego County, he has represented clients in California’s trial courts and appellate courts, Federal District Courts and the United States Courts for the Ninth Circuit, arbitrations, and various other government administrative forums.  David’s peers have recognized his hard work and dedication to the rights of employees by selecting him as a “Rising Star“ by Super Lawyer magazine from 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015, an honor based on the review of other lawyers and available to the 2.5% of eligible attorneys in California.  More recently, David’s peers have continued to recognize his efforts and achievements for his clients by selecting him in the same publication as a “Super Lawyer” in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021.

The Employee’s Attorney Fighting Against Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation In Your Workplace

Simply put, THE TIBOR LAW FIRM, A.P.C. was founded for employees who want to fight the unfair, discriminatory, harassing, and/or retaliatory actions of their employer by opposing their conduct, exposing those wrongdoers, and holding them accountable.  There are lawyers and firms that will write letters hoping to get a quick cheap settlement, and even some that will litigate a case up to trial only then to convince the client to settle sometimes to avoid going to trial.  The vast majority of employment cases do settle.  California public policy and the Courts encourage settlement.   Many cases need and should be settled.  If you are looking for a quick, cheap settlement, this is not the firm for you.

If you believe that you may be the victim of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation, or you believe you are not being paid correctly, and you want to FIGHT, there are attorneys that want to fight with you and for you.  THE TIBOR LAW FIRM, A.P.C. was formed for that purpose.  Even if you feel that THE TIBOR LAW FIRM, A.P.C. is not the right firm for you, we will provide you with the contact information for like minded top quality employee rights attorneys willing to fight all the way for you.

You Have Employee Rights

In evaluating a case, THE TIBOR LAW FIRM, A.P.C. often does not care if you were an “at-will” employee.  At-will does not mean employers can do anything they want.  As someone working in California, you have the RIGHT to work in an environment free from unlawful discrimination and harassment, as well as the EMPLOYEE RIGHT to report it free from unlawful retaliation.  Some employers, managers, and supervisors, will try to take advantage of your at-will employment status by using it to protect themselves from liability.  Others may trump up false reasons, or use insignificant incidents to disguise their discriminatory, harassing, and/or retaliatory treatment.  These types of situations in the workplace happen more often than most people can fathom because few speak up and others enter into confidential settlements.

Focused On People, Not Just A Case

The firm has a unique boutique design that allows it to fully focus on all of our clients’ needs.  The firm only practices employment law on behalf of employees and intentionally limits the number of clients it represents at any given time to ensure an effective individualized strategy is fully developed and executed.  Inspired by Ray Dalio’s “Radical Transparency” as articulated in his book Principles, you will get a straight forward honest assessment of your case and what the firm will attempt and not attempt to achieve for you.  You will then be encouraged to have a discussion with other competent employment lawyers.

THE TIBOR LAW FIRM, A.P.C. is also readily available to address each client’s needs including helping them transition between employment by assisting them to obtain unemployment and/or other needed benefits available to them.  This is not something you will find at firms stockpiling cases for settlements.  The central mission of THE TIBOR LAW FIRM, A.P.C. focuses on the person it is representing.

If you have been a victim of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, or you have been a victim of a wrongful termination, you do not need to suffer any longer.  The firm will navigate you through the relevant government agency filings, such as the Department of Fair Employment and Housing, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Division of Industrial Relations which are usually required before filing with the either the California Courts or the United States District Court.

Call or email today so we can learn more about you and your situation and provide you with the best plan of action to remedy the unfair treatment you endured.