Photo not that of the actual client.
Less than six months before the COVID-19 crisis hit Florida, “Janelle” was hired to work as a sales associate. In mid-February, Janelle, who suffers from asthma and frequently receives steroid treatments to combat asthma attacks, saw her doctor, who advised her that it was too risky for her to work in an office and provided her a note recommending that she work from home. Instead of allowing her to work from home, Janelle’s employer transferred her duties to someone else and told her that if she didn’t return to the office, she would be terminated. Janelle then turned to JALA for help. Her JALA attorney, Edith Jones, advised her that asthma was a qualified disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act, and that she had a right to a reasonable accommodation. However, Janelle decided it was more important to focus on her health than to pursue the issue with her employer. Jones instead helped her negotiate a severance package and a favorable reference, while also ensuring that she would qualify for unemployment benefits as a COVID-19-related layoff.
