Cristina Solomon Discusses Employer Accommodations for Employees Suffering Long COVID
Foley & Lardner LLP partner Cristina Portela Solomon shared insight on ways employers can adapt to meet employee needs in the Health Payer Specialist article, “Long Covid Is a Burden for Sufferers, and a Challenge for Employers.”
Solomon said that several factors make long COVID hard to address with one set approach, including that an experience can be “different on Monday than it is on Tuesday” and how difficult it can be for employees to get a diagnosis so they can request necessary accommodation.
General practitioners can be reluctant to make the diagnosis because “they don’t understand it,” Solomon said, noting that it can also take months for patients to get into a clinic that can diagnosis and treat long COVID.
Even if an employee hasn’t yet secured a doctor’s note, Solomon suggested, organizations should consider granting an accommodation if the worker is making an effort to get a diagnosis. This can include scheduling an appointment at a long COVID clinic.
Solomon highlighted other ways employers can make adjustments for long COVID sufferers, including permitting a modified work schedule, extra breaks, or providing a quiet dark room to relax. “These are becoming very accepted,” she said.
Looking ahead, Solomon suggested that it could be helpful for both human resource professionals and managers to receive training on the issue.
“If they understand it, they will be more supportive,” she added.
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