If you entered a time machine a few months ago and came out today to read this post, you missed a lot.
The Kansas City Royals made the World Series. Grammy Award winning rapper Eve wed entrepreneur Maximillion Cooper at Cala Jondal Beach in Ibiza, Spain. And a big-time Ebola scare.
Yeah, that Ebola scare was really something. But, it kinda just came and went, didn’t it? We haven’t had a new Ebola case in the U.S. in months, which makes the timing of Monday’s release of “Public Guidance on Protecting Civil Rights While Responding to the Ebola Virus” from the U.S. Department of Justice a bit off.
Still, do heed the three tips from the Guidance:
- Ensure that there is no bullying, harassment or other unlawful discrimination directed at people who are or are perceived to be from an African country, of African descent or against people who have the Ebola virus or are perceived as having the virus.
- Provide information in languages other than English.
- Provide access to information and services to people with disabilities.
Of course, if you reasonably suspect that an employee has Ebola, recently traveled to a high-risk area, or came into contact with someone with Ebola or returning from a high risk area, you should follow the applicable state and CDC control measures to protect both your workplace. If you are concerned about a disability-discrimination claim, as long as you act reasonably, you should ok. But you may want to consult the EEOC’s pandemic guidelines and a lawyer.