Ada Service Dogs And Employment

Read this ada national network factsheet about the obligations of employers and the interactive process of requesting and obtaining or providing a reasonable accommodation.

Ada service dogs and employment. Businesses and state and local government entities may also allow miniature horses as a reasonable modification subject to certain limitations. Does title i define a service animal as a dog. Under title ii and iii of the ada only dogs are considered service animals. Allowing an employee to bring a dog to work can qualify as a reasonable accommodation but only if the dog qualifies as a service animal under the ada.

It is essential for every service dog handler to understand what their legal rights are and how to exercise them. Under the employment discrimination sections of the ada an employer may simply be required to allow an employee to use a service dog at work as a reasonable accommodation for. In fact this part of the ada doesn t define service animals at all. If the dog has been trained to sense that an anxiety attack is about to happen and take a specific action to help avoid the attack or lessen its impact that would qualify as a service animal.

A service animal is any dog and in some cases miniature horses that is trained to perform specific tasks for the benefit of an individual with a physical or mental disability. The ada makes a distinction between psychiatric service animals and emotional support animals. Americans with disabilities act ada. The part of the ada that applies to employment however does not use these same definitions.

As of march 15 2011 only dogs are considered service animals under titles ii and iii of the ada. Service dog owners are afforded special rights and protections under the americans with disabilities act ada. The equal employment opportunity commission eeoc which enforces the employment provisions of the ada title i does not have a specific regulation on service animals.