Know Your Disability Rights in the Workplace 

People with disabilities frequently face widespread discrimination and exclusion. If you have a disability, it is critical that you know your rights in the workplace – Contact our Columbus, Ohio, disability discrimination lawyers today to schedule a free consultation and find out more. 

Examples of Disability Discrimination

Some common examples of disability discrimination in the workplace include the following:

• An employer refusing to hire you
• An employer refusing to promote you
• An employer refusing to pay you equally compared to your coworkers for the same job
• An employer refusing to make reasonable accommodations to how a job is done so that you have an equal opportunity to succeed
• An employer who requires that you disclose or discuss your disability when you have not requested an accommodation
• Your supervisor, boss, coworkers, and/or others in the workplace making jokes or derogatory comments concerning your disability 

Your Rights

It is critical that you are aware of the following with respect to federal and state laws protecting people with disabilities from discrimination in the workplace. Note that federal disability discrimination laws only cover private employers with fewer than 15 employees. The Ohio Fair Employment Practices Act prohibits discrimination based on disability to employers with as few as four employees:

• You are not required to inform our employer of your disability at any point in the process, either during the interview process or while you work there, even if you require a reasonable accommodation at a later date
• You are entitled to ask for and receive reasonable accommodations which allow you to have an equal chance to succeed
• It is unlawful for an employer to refuse to hire or promote you, as well as harass you, demote you, fire you, or pay you less if you have a disability 
• You are protected from unnecessary medical inquiries in the workplace

Reasonable Accommodations

If you require reasonable accommodation, inform your employer that you have a disability and request reasonable accommodation. Know that it is legal for your employer to require verification from a doctor, but if your employer denies your request, speak with one of our disability attorneys right away to discuss the next steps. In fact, there are a number of ways that companies can benefit from providing workplace accommodations for workers with disabilities.

Obtain a Free Confidential Legal Consultation From Our Columbus, Ohio, Disability Discrimination Attorneys

If you believe that you have been the victim of disability discrimination in the workplace, or denied employment because you are disabled, know that your rights have been violated, and you may have a discrimination claim. Contact our Columbus, Ohio, disability discrimination attorneys today to schedule a free consultation to find out how we can help.