Claudette has chronic pain syndrome.When she is in pain,it causes her to have a contorted facial expression that is disturbing to some of her co-workers.Some of them secretly avoid working with Claudette.Claudette is an average performer.Oscar,one of the best performing workers is particularly upset by Claudette's expressions,and he told you (the V.P.of HR)that he intends to quit unless you discharge Claudette.Claudette can be easily replaced.Oscar cannot.What is your response?
A)Restructure Claudette's performance standards to include a "pleasant facial expression."
B)Discharge Claudette because it is unfair to hinder the performance of the department.
C)Document any performance problems caused by employee unwillingness to work with Claudette.Once these performance problems have reached a certain level,you can make the decision whether to keep or to discharge Claudette.
D)Claudette's facial expression is not a job-related performance issue for which you can discharge her.
E)All of the above are legal options.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Claudette's facial expression is not a job-related performance issue, and therefore, it cannot be used as a reason for discharging her. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities, including chronic pain syndrome, which may cause facial distortion. The employer cannot terminate Claudette based on her facial expression unless doing so would create an unreasonable hardship for the employer. Therefore, the best course of action would be to educate the co-workers about Claudette's condition and sensitivity training so that they can work together effectively.

Claudette Has Chronic Pain Syndrome