Department of Justice sues West Memphis School District
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the West Memphis School District for denying an employee’s request for temporary remote work as a reasonable accommodation.
The lawsuit claims that the WMSD denied the request of a school science curriculum specialist, who has a disability, temporary remote work as a reasonable accommodation to avoid damage to her health.
According to a press release, the employee was forced to resign as a result of the denial.
The Americans with Disabilities Act requires that employers provide reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities, which may include remote work. However, the DOJ says that her request was denied without discussion or recommendation of possible alternative accommodations.
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“Telework is an important tool that has increased the ability of many people with disabilities to become or remain employed,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Employers must have a process in place to reasonably accommodate workers with disabilities, and they must work with those employees to consider options, including telework.”
The lawsuit was filed on a referral from the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission Little Rock Area Office, which conducted the initial investigation.
The case is being handled by the Civil Rights Division’s Disability Rights Section of the DOJ.
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