Opinion ID: 2633435
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Computer Issues

Text: During her 10-month leave of absence, Richards undertook to teach herself a new computer software program. To assist Richards in this endeavor, Grant Davids, Richards's Sacramento office supervisor, would bring a company computer to her home on weekends. In August 1989, Richards asked Davids if the company would lend her a computer to keep at home following her return to work. Davids informed her that CH2M Hill was not likely to lend her a computer and encouraged her to buy her own. He did, however, give his approval to Richards to work at home part-time following her return from her leave of absence. Richards proceeded to contact the California Department of Rehabilitation and several private organizations, seeking funding to purchase a computer. When two private organizations distributed flyers asking for contributions in Richards's name and identifying CH2M Hill as her employer, Richards's other supervisors told her that the solicitations had embarrassed the company. Richards was requested to ask the private organizations to withdraw the solicitations. In November 1989, at the urging of one of CH2M Hill's managers, Richards met with Stan Smith, the Redding regional manager, to seek authorization to perform computer work at her home and to ask that CH2M Hill provide her with a computer. Smith told Richards that while the company was not asking her to resign, it was having difficulty comprehending how it could accommodate her disability. By the end of the meeting, Smith told Richards that the Sacramento office would have to make the decision on the computer. In fact, Richards never received an answer. As a result, in December 1989 while still on leaveRichards informed CH2M Hill it no longer needed to provide her with a computer because she had secured funding assistance from the Department of Rehabilitation. Richards then purchased her own computer. During the August to December 1989 period in which plaintiff was seeking a computer, plaintiff sought legal advice from a lawyer and a private organization that advocates for the disabled, Resources for Independent Living, in an effort to determine whether her computer request was reasonable, as well as to determine her rights in general to reasonable accommodation under the law. They advised her that her request was reasonable and provided additional information regarding the reasonable accommodation of her disability.