A case was filed December 7, 2016 in Federal District Court for the Western District of Arkansas against the United States Postal Service alleging that the Post Office discriminated against and eventually terminated a disabled veteran for requiring and bringing a service dog to work.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) prohibits unfavorable treatment of a qualified employee because of a disability. The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 applies the prohibitions of the ADA in programs run by federal agencies, programs that receive federal assistance, in federal employment, and in the employment practices of federal contractors.  This includes the US Post Office.

A disability as defined in the ADA includes a physical or mental condition that substantially limits a major life activity, a history of a disability (such as cancer in remission), or a physical or mental impairment that is not transitory and minor. With few exceptions, the ADA requires an employer to provide reasonable accommodations to an employee or applicant with a disability.

As well as the above protections, there are laws in place to protect qualified Veterans from adverse employment actions. For example, the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 prohibits discrimination against a person because of their service in the uniformed services.

It is important to know your rights not only if you are a disabled individual or disabled veteran, but also if you are a veteran. If you believe you have suffered an adverse employment action or have suffered a refusal to reasonably accommodate your disability, or in relation to your service in the uniformed services, please contact one of our employment attorneys at (479) 621-0006.