Unburdening the Interactive Process: Reasonable Accommodations and Leave During COVID-19 and Beyond

The ADAAA and the interactive process took center stage for many schools as they planned to resume in-person learning in the fall of 2020.  Schools were faced with a record number of requests for accommodation, some of which triggered affirmative legal obligations to engage in the interactive process and some of which did not.  Compounding the confusion, a patchwork of federal, state and local leave laws created additional uncertainty.  This session focuses on lessons learned and practical guidance schools can use to navigate the interactive process and leave laws in a manner that protects the school from liability, maintains flexibility, and balances the employee needs against operational needs.