United States of America v. Michigan Civil Service Commission, Michigan Department of Treasury, and the State of Michigan’s Office of State Employer is an enforcement action in the Eastern District of Michigan involving a customer service representative at the Department of Treasury.
The complaint alleged that the Department of Treasury failed to provide a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for her dialysis treatment during work hours.
She was initially permitted to use an empty office for the treatment. Later, the Department of Treasury revoked that accommodation and required her to travel home for dialysis. She filed a charge with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
The case ended in a settlement. The Department of Treasury agreed to pay $40,000 to her estate. Along with the Civil Service Commission and the Office of State Employer, it must revise ADA policies and procedures.
Supervisors at the Department of Treasury are required to complete regular ADA training. Staff at the Civil Service Commission and the Office of State Employer who manage accommodation requests must also take the training. The Civil Service Commission updated statewide rules on reasonable accommodations.
Lessons learned from the case:
- Agencies cannot grant a reasonable accommodation and then revoke it without exploring alternatives. Doing so undermines the ADA’s interactive process.
- Written ADA policies must be kept current and clear so managers and employees know their rights and obligations.
- Supervisors and HR staff must be trained regularly to recognize accommodation requests and handle them properly.
- The settlement shows that responsibility for ADA compliance rests not only with the Department of Treasury but also with statewide oversight bodies like the Civil Service Commission and the Office of State Employer.
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