If your vision has significantly declined or you become legally blind, this will affect your job performance. It’s important to know your rights as an employee so you can continue to support yourself financially despite your disability. If you’re a California resident and need to know more about employment law as it pertains to impaired vision, read on to find out more.
What are your legal rights?
If your vision loss is directly related to your job, your employer could be responsible for your vocational, medical or financial issues connected to your condition. If your vision loss is not work-related, your employer is not directly liable. Either way, if you want to continue working, you’ll have to consider whether you are able to perform the essential functions of your job and the assistance you require.
Voicing your concerns
Be sure to discuss any concerns you have concerning your employment with a California Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor who works with individuals who are visually impaired or blind. It is also important to learn about the Americans with Disabilities Act as it pertains to employment law.
The ADA is a federal law and prohibits disability discrimination. According to Title 1 of the ADA, it is illegal for an employer to discriminate against a qualified employee or applicant because of disability. Title 1 applies to companies with 15 or more workers, including local and state governments. Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act offers the same protections for federal government applicants and employees. Most states have their own regulations to prevent employment discrimination because of disability.
