This audio conference was recorded on Wednesday - February 11, 2009

Credits:

This program has been approved for 1.5 recertification credit hours toward PHR and SPHR recertification through the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI). For more information about certification or recertification, please visit the HRCI homepage at www.hrci.org. The use of this seal is not an endorsement by HRCI of the quality of the program. It means that this program has met HRCI’s criteria to be pre-approved for recertification.

Description:

Diabetes is the fastest growing chronic illness in U.S. workplaces. Almost 24 million Americans (about 8 percent of the entire population) have been diagnosed with the disease, with another 57 million showing signs of pre-diabetes.

This means you’ll be dealing with more and more questions in 2009 and beyond about the impact of diabetes on your workers’ health and job performance. And, because diabetes affects women and minorities in disproportionate numbers, you could face enormous legal risks for discrimination and disability claims if you’re not prepared.

Can you prohibit insulin-dependent employees from holding certain jobs? Should you discipline a worker who takes an unscheduled break for a snack due to low blood sugar? How far must you go in accommodating an employee who claims diabetic neuropathy prevents her from standing on her feet all day? What questions can you ask diabetic workers about their conditions without violating their privacy or singling them out as “problems”?

Order this important 90-minute audio conference recording, as our expert speaker - an attorney who’s dedicated his practice to dealing with the challenges of living with diabetes - explains the legal do's and don’ts involved in managing diabetic employees. He’ll show you the best practices for dealing with the day-to-day questions that arise, from administering insulin shots at work to confronting employees whose productivity may be lagging due to the disease. And, you’ll learn how to comply with the federal and state laws that protect diabetic workers and reduce your legal risks.

Speaker(s):

Anthony J. Zaller, Esq., is a founding partner in the employment law firm Van Vleck Turner & Zaller, LLP, in Los Angeles. His practice focuses on defending, training, and counseling managers and employers in all areas of labor and employment law, ranging from discrimination and harassment claims to wrongful discharge and wage and hour litigation. He serves on the advisory boards (and regularly writes articles) for the California Employer Advisor and the California Employment Law Answers publications, and he produces the California Employment Law Report blog. Zaller earned his law degree from Loyola Law School and his master's degree in business administration from Loyola Marymount University.

You and your colleagues will learn:

• The basic facts about diabetes (Type I and Type II), such as the symptoms that could affect job performance
• Which federal and state laws offer protection for workers with diabetes - and how you must comply with them
• How to handle requests from diabetic workers for reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act and similar state laws
• What questions you can ask employees about diabetes without violating their privacy rights
• How to deal with specific issues, ranging from safe needle/sharps disposal to requests for frequent breaks and sugar-free vending machine snacks
• Common misperceptions about diabetes in the workplace that can confuse co-workers (and concern HR)
• The biggest mistakes employers make when hiring, managing, and firing diabetic employees - and how you can avoid repeating them