New York Jury Instruction - 1.5.2 Reasonable Accommodation Claim

• Category: Federal - Jury Instructions - Adverse Employment Action
• State: Multi-State
• Control #: US-11CF-1-5-2
• Format: Word; Rich Text

Description

This form contains sample jury instructions, to be used across the United States. These questions are to be used only as a model, and should be altered to more perfectly fit your own cause of action needs. New York Jury Instruction — 1.5.2 Reasonable Accommodation Claim is a legal instruction provided by the judge to the jury in a court case involving claims of disability discrimination and violations of reasonable accommodation rights under New York law. This instruction guides the jury on how to assess the evidence and reach a fair verdict in cases where an employee or applicant asserts their right to reasonable accommodation for their disability. Reasonable accommodation is an essential aspect of disability discrimination law, intended to ensure that individuals with disabilities can effectively perform their job duties or have equal access to employment opportunities. Under the New York Human Rights Law (NRL) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), employers are required to engage in an interactive process with employees or applicants seeking accommodation, and make reasonable modifications or adjustments to accommodate the individual's disability. This jury instruction helps the jury understand the legal principles and components involved in evaluating a reasonable accommodation claim in New York. It may cover several key aspects of the claim, including: 1. Definition of reasonable accommodation: The instruction may define what constitutes reasonable accommodation under NRL and ADA. It may explain that accommodations could include modifications to the workplace, changes in work schedules, providing assistive devices, granting unpaid leave, or any other adjustment that enables the individual to perform their job without undue hardship on the employer. 2. Elements of a reasonable accommodation claim: The instruction may outline the elements the plaintiff must prove to establish a valid reasonable accommodation claim. This could include demonstrating that they have a disability as defined by the law, that they are qualified to perform the essential functions of the job, that they requested an accommodation, and that the employer failed to provide reasonable accommodation. 3. Interactive process requirement: The instruction may detail the obligation of both the employer and the employee to actively engage in an interactive process to identify and determine the appropriate accommodations. It may emphasize that both parties have a duty to participate in good faith and consider each other's concerns or proposals. 4. Undue hardship defense: The instruction may explain the concept of undue hardship, which allows an employer to defend against a reasonable accommodation claim if they can demonstrate that providing the requested accommodation would impose significant difficulty or expense. It may outline the factors the jury should consider when evaluating whether an accommodation would cause undue hardship, such as the nature of the employer's business, overall financial resources, and the impact on other employees. Other types of New York Jury Instruction — 1.5.2 Reasonable Accommodation Claim may vary based on specific circumstances or nuances of the case. For instance, there could be separate instructions for reasonable accommodation claims in different types of employment settings, such as public sector employers, private companies, or non-profit organizations. Additionally, there might be variations in the instruction based on the particular disability alleged, the type of accommodation requested, or the timeline of events leading up to the claim. In conclusion, New York Jury Instruction — 1.5.2 Reasonable Accommodation Claim provides essential guidance to the jury in understanding and evaluating claims of disability discrimination involving reasonable accommodations.

New York Jury Instruction — 1.5.2 Reasonable Accommodation Claim is a legal instruction provided by the judge to the jury in a court case involving claims of disability discrimination and violations of reasonable accommodation rights under New York law. This instruction guides the jury on how to assess the evidence and reach a fair verdict in cases where an employee or applicant asserts their right to reasonable accommodation for their disability. Reasonable accommodation is an essential aspect of disability discrimination law, intended to ensure that individuals with disabilities can effectively perform their job duties or have equal access to employment opportunities. Under the New York Human Rights Law (NRL) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), employers are required to engage in an interactive process with employees or applicants seeking accommodation, and make reasonable modifications or adjustments to accommodate the individual's disability. This jury instruction helps the jury understand the legal principles and components involved in evaluating a reasonable accommodation claim in New York. It may cover several key aspects of the claim, including: 1. Definition of reasonable accommodation: The instruction may define what constitutes reasonable accommodation under NRL and ADA. It may explain that accommodations could include modifications to the workplace, changes in work schedules, providing assistive devices, granting unpaid leave, or any other adjustment that enables the individual to perform their job without undue hardship on the employer. 2. Elements of a reasonable accommodation claim: The instruction may outline the elements the plaintiff must prove to establish a valid reasonable accommodation claim. This could include demonstrating that they have a disability as defined by the law, that they are qualified to perform the essential functions of the job, that they requested an accommodation, and that the employer failed to provide reasonable accommodation. 3. Interactive process requirement: The instruction may detail the obligation of both the employer and the employee to actively engage in an interactive process to identify and determine the appropriate accommodations. It may emphasize that both parties have a duty to participate in good faith and consider each other's concerns or proposals. 4. Undue hardship defense: The instruction may explain the concept of undue hardship, which allows an employer to defend against a reasonable accommodation claim if they can demonstrate that providing the requested accommodation would impose significant difficulty or expense. It may outline the factors the jury should consider when evaluating whether an accommodation would cause undue hardship, such as the nature of the employer's business, overall financial resources, and the impact on other employees. Other types of New York Jury Instruction — 1.5.2 Reasonable Accommodation Claim may vary based on specific circumstances or nuances of the case. For instance, there could be separate instructions for reasonable accommodation claims in different types of employment settings, such as public sector employers, private companies, or non-profit organizations. Additionally, there might be variations in the instruction based on the particular disability alleged, the type of accommodation requested, or the timeline of events leading up to the claim. In conclusion, New York Jury Instruction — 1.5.2 Reasonable Accommodation Claim provides essential guidance to the jury in understanding and evaluating claims of disability discrimination involving reasonable accommodations.