January 12, 2023

New Study of Employees With Long COVID Demonstrates Need for More Workplace Accommodations

Since the beginning of the pandemic “long COVID” remains a new and poorly understood condition both for medical experts and people suffering from the condition. For workers, this has had a significant impact on their ability to remain productive at work. One in five people reporting a positive COVID diagnosis report experiencing symptoms of long COVID, according to the CDC. And, in a new study focused on long-COVID sufferers, 99% of participants reported that the condition had adversely affected their work. Participants reported having to take time off work, depression, anxiety, and even switching jobs.

The study also revealed that these problems are not merely personal, as employers have not done enough to create clear ways to communicate the availability for accommodations, which are required under the ADA, broadened in summer of 2021 to recognize “long COVID” as a disability. Respondents reported lack of workplace flexibility, poor communication, and a more general fear of broaching the subject with employers., all of which were more acutely felt among  respondents of color.

However, there is much that employers can do to help employees who are dealing with long COVID. The first is simply to talk more openly about the condition. Many people are not even aware they are suffering from long COVID because of the lack of diagnostic tools to point to the condition coupled with its similarities with other common mental health conditions. However, many of those conditions already allow for accommodations, so employers should not be fearful of widening the discussion to include long COVID. Additionally, many of those accommodations cost little, are easy to implement and have been used for other conditions for years, making it an easy target for employers.

President Biden Signs Sweeping Executive Order For Care

April 25, 2023
Paid Family Leave
FMLA
Biden Administration issues executive order to improve care for Americans with 50 Directives aimed at accessibility, affordability, and working conditions for care providers.

FTC Seeks Radical Overhaul of Non-compete Clauses

April 14, 2023
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The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is proposing changes to target non-compete clauses in contracts.

Berke-Weiss Law Recognized by Super Lawyers for Legal Excellence in 2022

April 12, 2023
Berke-Weiss Law in the News
Laurie Berke-Weiss, Alex Berke, and Rosa Aliberti have been selected to the 2022 New York-Metro: Women’s Edition Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists.

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