Service Animals In The Workplace California

That said California rules do allow employers to set the following limits on the use of all assistive animals in the workplace.

Service animals in the workplace california. On the other hand federal law defines an emotional support animal by exclusion. Perez April 29 2016. Prior to the amendment employers would associate a support animal with a guide dog or other service dogs such as a trained seizure alert dog.

Animals which meet this definition are considered service animals whether or not they have been licensed or certified by a state or local government. In the employment context the statutory schemes that require reasonable accommodation for disabilities are the California Fair Employment and Housing Act FEHA and the Americans With Disabilities Act ADA. As for documentation for service animals in the workplace the ADA does allow for an employer to request medical documentation for the need for the disabled person to need this accommodation.

But what about comfort animals such as pigs snakes birds or cats. The animal cannot engage in behavior that endangers the health or safety of anyone in the workplace including. The work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the persons disability.

For additional information see JANs Just-In-Time Training Module. A blind employee should not need to prove the need for a seeing eye dog. Service Animals in the Workplace and the Law.

Of course the service animal must be well behaved and not disruptive to the workplace remaining on a leash if it does not hamper the dogs service. Service animals in todays society can provide medical assistance for many types of human disabilities and medical conditions. The concept of a support dog or other animal as a possible accommodation is unique to California.

The service animal must be harnessed leashed or tethered while in public places unless these devices interfere with the service animals work or the persons disability prevents use of these devices. Alerts people who are hearing impaired. Under the employment part of the ADA title I there are no specific guidelines for employers to follow when an individual with a disability wants to use a service animal in the workplace.