Making the Case for Meaningful Reasonable Accommodations for Employees With Physical Disabilities: A Legal Analysis of Part-Time and Flexible Work Schedules Under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)

Qualex Incorporated hired David Lamb as a full-time account specialist on December 2, 1996. Lamb was in poor mental and physical health and missed one-half of his work time during his 10-month tenure at Qualex. When Lamb became unable to fulfill his responsibilities as a full-time account specialist, Qualex granted him granted medical leave to cope with the physical and emotional toll of his disability. When he sought to return to his job, Lamb requested a part-time work schedule as an accommodation. Qualex management quickly asserted it had never and would never have a part-time account specialist position and summarily terminated Lamb from his position with no further discussion of other plausible accommodations.