HR Protection? (employee, employer, job, companies)

[peachgeek]

Can HR really protect someone with a disability from getting fired even when they ARE NOT doing their job?

Not to get into details but this is pretty much the excuse we get a work about one of our co-workers who hasn't been doing his job for several months. Anyone working in HR with some insight?

[joe from dayton]

Your boss is taking the easy way out. The short answer is no, but you have to make reasonable accomodations for the disabled person to do their job. I believe we bought a special chair for someone before and rearranged an office--resonable and not too costly. Anyway, bottom line; the employer has to be reasonable and the employee has to be able to do the job.

[kodaka]

They CAN do so, yes. They don't HAVE to.

[manderly6]

Companies do a lot of things to avoid lawsuits.

[STT Resident]

Corporate HR is employed to protect the company. Federal and state laws protect the employee.

[Hemlock140]

Originally Posted by STT Resident

Corporate HR is employed to protect the company. Federal and state laws protect the employee.

By protecting the company from lawsuits, HR is in fact protecting the employee. Yes, people do abuse the system, but some employers
looking at the cost from the loss of that person's productivity and
the possible legal costs will choose to let them slide. Unfortunately it's
also going to mean unhappy co-workers who have to pick up the slack.

[peachgeek]

Thanks to all of you for the info. I thought that at least after so many accommodations there should be an end but I totally understand the avoidance of a lawsuit. We (myself and co-workers) are beyond unhappy!