Others say the ADA is straying into the realm of the absurd, noting such cases as the employee with bad body odor who argued she should be protected from getting fired because her glandular problem qualified her as disabled. Some have been burdened with disabilities since they were born. Three years ago, Schaffer's car was in a head-on collision with another vehicle that swerved into his lane on a windy back road in West Virginia. It took paramedics an hour to cut him from the wreckage. After learning he would be confined to a wheelchair, Schaffer says, the thought of returning to work was the thing that kept him going.
Work ends up being a defining characteristic for self-worth.
Still, the real test will be when the economy cools and companies can afford to get picky about choosing between applicants with disabilities and everyone else. By then, though, it may be a lot harder to tell the difference. Inc. All rights reserved.