In a noteworthy ruling by the Seventh Circuit relating to workplace accommodation, an employer could now be obligated to provide accommodation relevant to an employee’s work commute. This fresh interpretation of the law emerges from the case EEOC v. Charter Communications, LLC, 75 F. 4th 729 (7th Cir. 2023). JD Supra provides detailed coverage of this judgement.
In the case at hand, an employee, with a vision impairment, made a request to the employer to allow him to work an earlier shift. The critical factor prompting this request was his inability to drive safely from work at night. The problem was aggravated due to the absence of any viable transportation alternatives, such as public transit. The employer granted the employee’s request but limited this accommodation to a temporary period of thirty days.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) stepped in at this point, lodging a lawsuit against the employer. The EEOC represents employees’ interests in situations where employers may breach federal laws prohibiting job discrimination. Their case built on the premise that the employer had failed to provide adequate accommodation to the employee in question.
The judgement by the Seventh Circuit in this case sets a precedent for other similar accommodations at the workplace, broadening its very definition to include considerations like the employee’s work commute. The verdict prompts employers and corporate legal advisors to rethink existing policies to ensure inclusivity and prevent any potential litigation.