Extension of Vacation Time To Treat Disability Is A Reasonable Accommodation

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently announced that a poultry company will pay $100,000 among other relief to settle a lawsuit alleging disability discrimination.  The EEOC charged the company with failing to provide a reasonable accommodation to a manger for his disability.  The Complaint claimed that the manager asked to extend his vacation leave, which was previously approved, by seven days because his doctor had restricted him from working for that period.  Rather than approving the leave, the company fired the manager before he had even used all of his vacation time.  This alleged conduct is a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which protects employees from discrimination on the basis of a disability.  See EEOC v. Harrison Poultry, Inc., No. 2:14-cv-0227 (N.D. Ga.).