Can employees bring service animals to work?

Emotional support animals can bring calm to people who need them – and legal confusion to employers.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, employers must accommodate reasonable requests from workers with disabilities to help them perform their jobs. However, when an employee asks to bring in a therapy snake, is that considered “reasonable?”

Employers must take caution not to immediately refuse a request. As a general rule, employers should ask for documentation from a medical professional verifying the employee’s need. If valid, employers should consult their attorney to determine whether having an animal in that workplace is required and/or permitted.

– Beth A. Slagle, Meyer Unkovic & Scott, BAS@MUSLAW.com