Observing ADA rules harkens back to risk assessments

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) says you need to assess whether employees or potential hires with disabilities can perform their jobs without posing a direct threat to the health or safety of themselves or others.

To conduct this safety assessment, the law—and case settlements published by the federal government—suggest that you can enlist input from the following:

• The applicant or employee, if he or she has relevant experience from previous positions
• Opinions of medical doctors
• Other professionals or associates of the applicant who have direct knowledge of the applicant or expertise of his or her medical condition