Discrimination laws protect people with disabilities in the workplace. Employers cannot treat people differently because of a disability. They must treat all their employees equally. And employers must accommodate those with a disability who want to work.
In a West Virginia Sam’s Club, an employee who requires a wheelchair faced possible discrimination when the store changed the responsibilities of her job.
Sam’s Club cut hours after not accommodating job roles
The employee worked as a greeter at the entrance of the store. Sam’s Club’s corporate office changed greeter job duties. After changing the duties, they were unable to accommodate the role to her disability. They moved the woman to the customer service desk. But when her disability prevented her from working at the desk, the store allegedly stopped scheduling her for shifts.
Possible disability discrimination
A Sam’s Club spokesperson confirmed that the store had not fired the employee. But cutting hours due to disability could mean the company discriminated against her. If an employee with a disability is willing to work, the store must try to accommodate the employee in some way so that the employee has an equal access to work. Cutting hours or firing employees with disabilities because they can’t do a job without accommodation is illegal.
Laws protect workers with disabilities
Both federal and West Virginia state laws protect employees with disabilities. As a large employer, Sam’s Club has a responsibility to make sure the employee has a job that fits what she is able to do. Instead of cutting hours, they should have worked with her to ensure that she had access to a role that accommodated her limitations.
These laws make sure that people with disabilities have access to jobs without discrimination.
