By JW August
From the trenches
“Federal agencies have been told they need to change their ‘reasonable accommodation’ policy for employees with disabilities who are now working at home”, according to “S,” a longtime source who works in a management position within the federal government.
The policy currently in place, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, was a precursor to the American With Disabilities Act. Telework and remote work were considered reasonable accommodations that could be offered to employees with disabilities. Trump wants to change this arrangement created by the Act of 1973. There are approximately 300,000 workers with disabilities. It is unknown how many work from home.
The goal, says “S,” is “to include reasonable accommodation for in-office work only. They want to deny any accommodation for an employee to stay home and work,” he said.
This would include disabled veterans dealing with PTSD, employees missing limbs who have limited mobility, any employee being treated for cancer, anyone who is Immunocompromised and others. They will have to choose whether to come into work or quit or be fired.
“The administration plans to hide behind vague language where agencies can deny any reasonable accommodation if they are deemed unreasonable to the agency’s mission,” “S” told me.
