Disability

The Idaho Human Rights Act and the federal Americans with Disabilities Act prohibit employment discrimination against persons with disabilities. Here are some frequently asked questions and answers about the law.

Who is Protected?

A “disability” is a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, such as walking, doing manual tasks, or learning, as well as major bodily functions such as circulatory, endocrine or the immune system. A person is protected who:

  1. Has a disability or
  2. Has a record of a disability or
  3. Is regarded by others as having an actual or perceived impairment.

The definition of “disability” is to be interpreted in favor of broad coverage of individuals under the ADA.

Who Must Comply With The Anti-Discrimination Law?

All employers with five or more workers, any government entity regardless of size, a contractor or subcontractor for the state and their agents must comply. In addition, employment agencies and labor organizations must not discriminate against persons with disabilities.

What Are An Employer’s Obligations?

An employer may not discriminate against an otherwise qualified worker or applicant with a disability who can perform the essential functions of the job with or without a reasonable accommodation. All phases of the employment relationship are covered, such as: hiring decisions, hours of work, wage rate, reasons for discipline and separations.

What is a Reasonable Accommodations?

An employer has an obligation to attempt a reasonable accommodation to enable the employee with a disability to perform the essential functions of the job.

Accommodations are adjustments to work assignments or work sites that allow the employee with a disability to do his or her job.

What Are Examples Of Reasonable Accommodations?

  • Making the worksite accessible to a person who uses a wheelchair.
  • Raising or lowering a work table.
  • Restructuring a job.
  • Reassignment of the worker to a vacant position.
  • Installing an amplifier for a telephone used by a hearing-impaired worker.
  • Modifying work schedules, particularly allowing someone to receive medical treatment.

What Kind Of Screening Can An Employer Do?

When interviewing applicants, an employer should NOT ask questions about a person’s health, medical history or whether he or she has ever filed a worker’s compensation claim.
Applicants should NOT be excluded from a job because of generalizations. Any medical standard or employment policy which automatically excludes entire groups of people (such as all people with high blood pressure, diabetes or back problems) is suspect.

It is permissible to ask if an applicant is able to perform the specific duties of the job in question with or without an accommodation.

What Are The Obligations Of The Person With A Disability?

A worker seeking an accommodation must cooperate with the employer in considering various options. An employer is NOT required to provide the “best” accommodation or the one most desired by the employee so long as the one chosen is “effective.”

Are There Exceptions To This Law?

Yes. An employer is not obligated to employ a person whose disability makes him or her a serious threat to their own health or safety or that of others. The burden of proving this threat is on the employer.

What If A Person With A Disability Is Unable To Do A Job Even After Accommodations Have Been Made?

Employers are not expected to use any workers, with a disability or not, who cannot perform their jobs.
 

Does This Law Make Good Economic Sense?

Yes. One study found that 50 percent of job accommodations for workers with disabilities cost under $50. The law helps people with disabilities attain jobs for which they are perfectly qualified. This, in turn, allows them to be self-supporting and full contributors to our state and local communities.

Age

Both state and federal laws ban discrimination in employment based on age. Workers and job candidates who are at least 40 years of age are protected under the state and federal laws. Unions and employment agencies (even if there is no fee for their services) are also covered by these same age discrimination laws. In order to simplify the language of this pamphlet, unions and employment agencies will be referred to as “employers.”

Who is Protected Under State Law?

Workers and job candidates 40 and older, employed or seeking employment with a public or private employer, are protected. Workers at private companies with fewer than five employees who don’t contract with the state may have no protection.

What the Law Means:

The law protects those 40 and older from age discrimination in all aspects of the employment relationship. Included are prohibitions against the following:

  • Mandatory retirement
  • Layoff or reduction in force because of age
  • Failure to hire based on age
  • Failure to promote based on age
  • Unequal terms, conditions or privileges of employment for older workers
  • Discriminatory compensation based on age
  • Advertisement of jobs indicating a preference for younger workers or a limitation based on age
  • Failure to refer individuals for employment based on age, or
  • Classifying union members or employment agency clients according to age

Types of Discrimination

Idaho Law – Overview

Overview

Idaho law prohibits discrimination in employment, education, real estate transactions and public accommodations.

Illegal discrimination may be based on: race, sex, color, national origin, religion, age (over 40), mental or physical disability.

Understanding Prohibited Practices

Disability

A “disability” is a diagnosable physical or mental condition which interferes with one of a person’s major life activities.

Learn More

Race, Color or National Origin

Both state and federal laws prohibit discrimination based upon race, color or national origin in employment relationships.

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Religion

Moral or ethical beliefs as to what is right and wrong that are sincerely held by the individual person with the strength of traditional religious views.

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Sex

Sexual harassment takes many forms, such as touching, sexual comments or jokes, displays of pornographic materials, indecent exposure, assault or even rape.

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Age (Over 40)

Workers and job candidates 40 and older, employed or seeking employment with a public or private employer, are protected.

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Retaliation

Retaliation against an individual who has engaged in a protected activity is unlawful.

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Disability

A “disability” is a diagnosable physical or mental condition which interferes with one of a person’s major life activities.

Learn More
 

Race, Color or National Origin

All people fall within the definition of race, color and national origin and all have equal protection under the law.

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Religion

Moral or ethical beliefs as to what is right and wrong that are sincerely held by the individual person with the strength of traditional religious views.

Learn More
 

Sex

Sexual harassment takes many forms, such as touching, sexual comments or jokes, displays of pornographic materials, indecent exposure, assault or even rape.

Learn More
 

Retaliation

Retaliation against an individual who has engaged in a protected activity is unlawful.

Learn More
 

Race, Color or National Origin

All people fall within the definition of race, color and national origin and all have equal protection under the law.

Learn More
 

Religion

Moral or ethical beliefs as to what is right and wrong that are sincerely held by the individual person with the strength of traditional religious views.

Learn More
 

Sex

Sexual harassment takes many forms, such as touching, sexual comments or jokes, displays of pornographic materials, indecent exposure, assault or even rape.

Learn More
 

Retaliation

Retaliation against an individual who has engaged in a protected activity is unlawful.

Learn More

WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I THINK DISCRIMINATION IS HAPPENING?

If you feel discrimination is happening, the first thing you should do is contact the Commission

Idaho Law