OPAM Workshop: Basic Course in Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Part II-245387

Video Transcription

Video Summary

Dr. Fowler, a physician and attorney, provided an educational lecture on several legal aspects relevant to occupational medicine, focusing on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act (GINA), and the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Dr. Fowler explained how the ADA serves as the Bill of Rights for persons with disabilities, emphasizing the need for employers to provide reasonable accommodations and the challenges of determining what constitutes "reasonable."<br /><br />He highlighted the complexities of the ADA's broad coverage, including its amended 2008 version, which widened the definition of disability, thus extending protection to virtually all individuals. He also stressed the importance of understanding legal language about whether someone can perform essential job functions.<br /><br />Regarding GINA, he cautioned against collecting family medical history during employment assessments to prevent discrimination based on genetic information. Dr. Fowler added that pertinent family history should only be recorded if medically relevant to the job, while keeping sensitive information non-intrusive to employer decision-making.<br /><br />For FMLA, he noted it permits up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for family and personal health reasons without risking job loss. Dr. Fowler addressed various attendee questions, particularly on how these laws intersect with workplace practices and the implications of long COVID as an emerging ADA issue.

Keywords

Americans with Disabilities Act

Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act

Family Medical Leave Act

occupational medicine

reasonable accommodations

disability protection

genetic information

long COVID

employment law