HR Tip: EEOC expands COVID-19 workplace guidance, delays EEO-1 deadline

Employers cannot exclude employees from working simply because they have an underlying medical condition that the Centers for Disease Control says may pose a higher risk of severe illness if they contract COVID-19. In early May, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) posted an updated and expanded technical assistance publication addressing questions arising under the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Laws related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The publication, What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO Laws, expands on a previous publication that focused on the ADA and Rehabilitation Act.

The newly added questions and answers, G.3, G.4., and G.5., provide information about the accommodation of employees with underlying medical conditions. The answer to G.4. was revised after the initial posting to clarify that the ADA does not allow exclusion of employees simply because they have an underlying medical condition that the CDC says might pose a higher risk of severe illness if the individual contracts COVID-19.

Employers must do a thorough direct threat analysis, which includes an individualized assessment based on relevant factors and a determination of whether the threat can be reduced or eliminated through a reasonable accommodation. The guidance notes that the "direct threat" requirement is a high standard. It also includes information on what an employee needs to do to request a reasonable accommodation and examples of accommodation. A worker must inform the employer that a change is needed for a reason related to a medical condition, which may be requested in conversation or writing. The employer may then ask questions or seek medical documentation.

EEO-1 filing deadline delayed

The Coronavirus pandemic has delayed the deadline for employers to file both their 2019 and 2020 EEO-1 Component 1 data to March 2021.