In: Operations Management
Is addiction a disability? Are employers required to accommodate addicts? If so, how? Are alcoholics and drug addicts protected under the ADA/ADAAA? If so, why?
Addiction can be considered as a partial disability. There are no concrete rules to validate the same, addiction to certain substance abuses is considered a disability under law. For example: the employees undergoing deaddiction treatments in rehabs are covered under the ADA Act.
Employers are required to accommodate addicts – both under drug or alcohol dependency. However the limit of accommodation is limited in this case to:
Alcoholics and Drug Addicts are covered under ADA Act. As per Title I of the act, a person under alcohol or drug addiction is considered as a person with disability. There is a certain margin of differentiation in this regard. While no restriction or clause is set on the consideration of drug addict as a person with disability, a person under alcohol abuse can be considered under disability, only if he is able and qualified to perform certain parts of his job.