Overview
Our Disability, Leave & Health Management Practice Group takes a multi-disciplinary and collaborative approach to addressing the complexity of disability, leave and health management issues so that employers can maintain legal compliance. At all times, our goal is to help employers reduce the risk of employment litigation, decrease the costs associated with absent and under-productive employees, help contain health care-related expenses, and promote employee health, safety and wellness.
As part of our legal services, we assist employers with navigating complex leave administration questions that require an understanding of federal, state and local laws such as the FMLA, state leave laws, ADA, GINA, HIPAA, COBRA and ERISA. We also offer practical advice on integrating legal obligations under those laws with company paid time-off, disability and group health benefit programs. Some of the specific services we provide include:
- Reviewing and developing leave and attendance policies;
- Reviewing and developing template forms and letters used to administer leaves of absence and to process reasonable accommodation requests;
- Reviewing and developing management guidelines to assist in administering and integrating leave and benefit programs in compliance with federal and state laws;
- Monitoring and summarizing state leave laws, including a rapidly growing number of state and local paid sick leave laws, to guide day-to-day decision-making for employees who are absent or on leave;
- Providing legal advice on individual leave and accommodation issues; and
- Training on integrated disability and absence management compliance obligations.
In addition, our litigation attorneys have extensive experience defending employers against legal challenges to disability management decisions before courts and administrative agencies, including class action litigation.
ADA Title III
Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (Title III) requires virtually every business that provides goods and services to the public to make its products and facilities accessible to individuals with disabilities. These Title III mandates create complicated compliance issues that many businesses are only beginning to grapple with and understand.
Wellness Programs
Despite their popularity, wellness programs are drawing increased scrutiny under a variety of federal laws such as the ADA, GINA, Title VII, the ADEA, the EPA, HIPAA, ERISA and the ACA. Depending on the wellness program design, state law may also regulate these programs. We were one of the first law firms to write and speak about the...
