Disability Discrimination

Disability discrimination occurs when an employer or other entity covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act, as amended, or the Rehabilitation Act, as amended, treats a qualified individual with a disability who is an employee or applicant unfavorably because she has a disability.

Disability discrimination also occurs when a covered employer or other entity treats an applicant or employee less favorably because she has a history of a disability (such as cancer that is controlled or in remission) or because she is believed to have a physical or mental impairment that is not transitory (lasting or expected to last six months or less) and minor (even if she does not have such an impairment).

The law requires an employer to provide reasonable accommodation to an employee or job applicant with a disability, unless doing so would cause significant difficulty or expense for the employer ("undue hardship").

The law also protects people from discrimination based on their relationship with a person with a disability (even if they do not themselves have a disability). For example, it is illegal to discriminate against an employee because her husband has a disability.

Learn more here.

How many physicians have disability insurance?

The other day, I was speaking with a number of physicians about disability insurance. Someone happened to ask, "how many practicing physicians have disability insurance?" The group began discussing various benefit packages and they concluded that physicians who are employed by hospitals, academic centers, and other large organizations have access to nice disability insurance options. In contrast, many physicians who are in private practice or in small groups are not given many options for disability insurance.

It seems like so many physicians are not thinking about the possibility of needing disability insurance. Perhaps we don't want to think about our own fragility. Maybe we don't want to face the chance that we will get struck with illness or get involved in a serious accident. I've known many younger physicians who are now disabled and a number of them did not have any disability insurance because they were not informed during medical school about the need for disability insurance.

Is old age becoming a "disability" for physicians?

As physicians get older, they may lose their ability to practice medicine before they're ready to formally retire. Make sure to read this story about older physicians who are losing their ability to practice medicine. Is old age becoming a "disability" for surgeons and physicians?

EEOC to Meet on Employment of People with Mental Disabilities

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) will hold a public meeting on employment of people with mental disabilities on Tuesday, March 15, at 1:00 p.m. (Eastern Time), at agency headquarters, 131 M Street, N.E. In accordance with the Sunshine Act, the meeting is open for public observation of the Commission’s deliberations.

The Commission will hear from invited panelists on the employment rates of people with intellectual disabilities and psychiatric disabilities and the challenges they face in the workplace, as well as why it makes good business sense to employ people with disabilities. The meeting agenda includes:

Panel 1: Employment Rates of People with Mental Disabilities

Sharon Lewis, Commissioner, Administration on Developmental Disabilities, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Dr. William Kiernan, Director, Institute for Community Inclusion
Dr. Gary Bond, Professor of Psychiatry, Dartmouth Psychiatric Research Center
Ruby Moore, Executive Director, The Georgia Advocacy Office, and Founder, New England Business Associates

Work Stress and Burnout Among Nurses

The AHRQ has a book called "Patient Safety and Quality: An Evidence-Based Handbook for Nurses." In Chapter 26, we find a chapter titled, "Work Stress and Burnout Among Nurses: Role of the Work Environment and Working Conditions."

There's a section that says:

Nevertheless, work stress and burnout remain significant concerns in nursing, affecting both individuals and organizations. For the individual nurse, regardless of whether stress is perceived positively or negatively, the neuroendocrine response yields physiologic reactions that may ultimately contribute to illness.

We often don't think about the impact of stress in our lives. However, if it's going to contribute to illness and possibly even disability, shouldn't we be doing more to control and manage work stress?

You can read chapter 26 here (PDF).

Campaign for Disability Employment "I Can" PSA

The Campaign for Disability Employment is a collaborative effort to promote positive employment outcomes for people with disabilities by encouraging employers and others to recognize the value and talent they bring to the workplace.

Nurses Working with disAbilities

Make sure to read this great book! It's titled, "Leave No Nurse Behind: Nurses Working with disAbilities"

Eleven nurses who defied disability tell their personal stories of courage and determination in the face of stigma and discrimination, proving that nurses with disabilities have the ability to successfully fill the jobs that so desperately need filling.

You can get it on Amazon: