Reasonable Accommodations for Disabilities

  • Special guest on Chuck Finney’s May 23, 2012 “Your Legal Rights” KALW 91.7 FM radio program (part of NPR digital network): engaging in the interactive process and providing reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities, protecting employees’ right to medical privacy and genetic information under the Genetic Information Non-Discrimination Act (GINA), terminating employees who use medicinal marijuana, among other hot button issues related to workplace disability accommodations
  • Awarded two successive 3-year contracts by the CA Dept. of Mental Health and Dept. of Rehabilitation co-op program with county mental health agencies to provide training on best practices on hiring, managing, disciplining, and providing reasonable accommodations for employees with a range of physical and mental disabilities (2006-2009 and 2009-2012)
  • Awarded a one-year contract with the San Francisco Human Services Agency to provide a comprehensive review of their policies and procedures on providing reasonable accommodations and language access for recipients of public welfare benefits and services who have disabilities or whose primary language is not English; devise training curriculum on reasonable accommodations for staff at all levels of the agency (2013-2014)
  • Best Practices for The Employment of Employees with Mental and Physical Disabilities: Interviewing, Managing and Providing Reasonable Workplace Accommodations, sponsored by the California Department of Rehabilitation and Department of Mental Health Cooperative Program for county mental health agencies and affiliates throughout California
    • San Francisco City and County – June 7 and 26, 2012
    • Santa Clara County, San Jose – June 4, 2012
    • Los Angeles County, Culver City – May 15, 2012
    • Lake County, Lucerne, CA – March 23, 2012
    • Marin County, San Rafael, CA – December 5, 2011
    • Sonoma County, Santa Rosa, CA – April 19, 2011
    • Tri-City Mental Health Authority, Pomona, CA- March 21, 2011
    • Butte County, Chico, CA –- January 24, 2011
    • Los Angeles County, San Fernando Valley, and Van Nuys, CA – – October 12, 2010
    • Solano County, Fairfield, CA – January 15, 2009
    • San Joaquin County, Stockton, CA – April 22, 2009
    • Los Angeles County, City of Los Angeles – February 7, 2008
  • Regularly featured presenter at the three Northern California Chapter meetings of the Disability Management Employers Coalition (DMEC) on legislative and case law developments on disability accommodations and medical leaves of absences:
    • Managing Employee Disability Accommodations, San Jose Chapter Meeting – September 20, 2013
    • Navigating the Disability Law Maze: Learn from Employers’ Costly Mistakes When Responding to Employee Requests For Accommodations, Sacramento Chapter – October 28, 2009
    • Return To Work Challenges: Navigating the Maze of Disability and Leave of Absence Laws, San Jose Chapter –September 18, 2009
    • Managing Employees with Behavioral Disabilities: Detangling the Knot of Accommodations and Leave Options, San Francisco Chapter – August 29, 2007
  • Still (Going) Crazy After All These Years! A Practical Approach to Disability Accommodations in the Workplace, San Francisco Chapter – April 28, 2006
  • Employment Law Jeopardy! How To Avoid Putting Your Company At Risk — Understanding Recent Developments in California Workplace Disability Laws, San Francisco Chapter – April 2004

  • Reasonable Accommodations For Employees with Disabilities: The Interactive Process in 6 Easy Steps, HR West Conference, South San Francisco – June 10, 2026
  • Preventing Workplace Discrimination and Reasonable Accommodations for Employees with Disabilities, Color of Change – March 30 & 31, 2021
  • Preventing Disability Discrimination in the Workplace and Providing Reasonable Accommodations, for the Human Resources team and ADA Coordinator at Prestige Care, Inc. – August 5, 2020, October 19, 2021, October 14, 2022, and September 29, 2023
  • Managing Employee Disability Accommodations and Medical Leaves
    • Dodge & Cox, San Francisco, CA – January 22, 2018
    • Global Gourmet Catering, San Francisco, CA – July 13, 2017
  • Managing Employee Disability Leaves of Absences: Intermittent/Indefinite Leaves, and Return to Work Issues, Annual TAPS Conference for Employers, San Jose, CA – June 7, 2017
  • Beware the Riptides: Surfing the Dangerous Cross-Currents of Employment Law and Workers’ Compensation, Disability Management Employer Coalition (DMEC) Panel Presentation, Walnut Creek, CA – April 28, 2017
  • Accommodating, Managing and Disciplining Employees with Disabilities, HR West Conference, sponsored by Northern California Human Resources Association (NCHRA) – March 8, 2017
  • Managing and Disciplining Employees with Disabilities, Disability Management Employer Coalition (DMEC) Annual International Conference, San Francisco Marriott Marquis, San Francisco, CA – August 3, 2015
  • A Step-By-Step Guide to Providing Reasonable Accommodations: Navigating the Interactive Process, State Compensation Insurance Fund, Vacaville, CA – June 9, 2015
  • Managing Disability Accommodations: Navigating The Interactive Process, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, Santa Clara, CA – June 5, 2015
  • Managing Employees with Disabilities: Accommodating & Addressing Performance, Misconduct and Absenteeism
    • ABD Insurance Seminar, Foster City, CA – March 26, 2015
    • 11th Annual Alameda County Disability Employment and Awareness Conference, DiversAbility, Emeryville, CA – October 16, 2014
  • Workplace Disability Accommodations: Navigating and Documenting the Interactive Process, Management Team Training at Peralta Community College District, Oakland, CA – June 12, 2013 and January 9, 2015
  • Navigating The Interactive Process: Best Practice Tips and Traps to Avoid, 2014 Disability Management Employer Coalition (DMEC) Annual International Conference, Las Vegas, NV – August 12, 2014
  • Accommodating and Disciplining Employees with Medical Conditions, Silicon Valley Women in Human Resources, National University, San Jose, CA – April 16, 2014
  • Disability Awareness, series of trainings for San Francisco Human Services Agency (HSA), San Francisco, CA –- July 17 & 24, 2013, and February 6, 2014
  • Reasonable Accommodations for Employees with Disabilities: Documenting Essential Job Functions, The Interactive Process and Disciplinary Issues
    • Alameda County Training and Education Center, Oakland, CA – October 3, 2013
    • EEOC Annual TAPS Conference for Employers, San Jose, CA – June 2013
  • Reasonable Workplace Accommodations for Employees with Disabilities: The Interactive Process In 6 Steps
    • Disability Management Employer Coalition (DMEC) Annual International Conference, Atlanta, GA – August 19, 2013
    • HR West Conference, sponsored by the Northern California Human Resources Association (NCHRA) Oakland, CA – April 22, 2013
  • Employee Disability Accommodations and Medical Leaves: How To Avoid Legal Landmines and Navigate The 6 Steps of The Interactive Process, CompassPoint HR Network Meeting, Oakland, CA – May 8, 2013
  • Investigating Disability Discrimination and Failure to Accommodate Complaints
  • Reasonable Accommodations: Navigating the 6 Steps of the Interactive Process, U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) Workforce Solutions Conference, San Francisco, CA – October 19, 2012

  • Workplace Issues and the Interactive Process, Opening Session Panelist and Workshop Presenter, 9th Annual Alameda County Disability Employment Awareness Conference: Celebrating the Dynasty of Diversity, San Leandro, CA –October 11, 2012
  • Top Ten Employer Mistakes When An Employee with a Disability Requests An Accommodation: Tips For Investigators, EEOC Annual TAPS Conference for Employers, San Jose, CA – June 14, 2012
  • Disability Inclusion: Corporate and Law Firm Best Practices for the Employment of Lawyers with Disabilities, American Bar Association Commission on Disability Rights’ Third National Conference on the Employment of Lawyers with Disabilities, Washington, D.C. – May 8, 2012
  • Disability Discrimination and Reasonable Accommodations for Employees with Disabilities
    • Management Team Training, California Water Service Company, San Jose, CA – November 8, 2012
    • HR Department, California Water Service Company, San Jose, CA – August 15, 2012
    • HR Department, Bank of the West, Los Angeles, CA, July 17, 2012; San Francisco, CA – October 25, 2011
    • Managers and Administrators at Peralta Community College District, Oakland, CA – October 17, 2011
  • Providing Reasonable Accommodations and Disciplining Employees with Disabilities
    • Alameda County Training and Education Center, Oakland, CA – September 29, 2011
    • EEOC Annual TAPS Conference for Employers, San Francisco, CA – June 9, 2011
  • Navigating The Interactive Process and Reasonable Accommodations for Employees with Disabilities, The Center at Cathedral Plaza, Los Angeles, CA – June 21, 2010
  • The ADA At Work: Providing Reasonable Accommodations and Demystifying the Interactive Process, California Association of Social Rehabilitation Agencies (CASRA) Spring 2010 Conference, San Mateo, CA – April 7, 2010
  • Effectively Managing Employees with Disabilities: Demystifying the Interactive Dialogue When Providing Reasonable Accommodations, CA Institute for Mental Health (CIMH), Sacramento, CA – October 30, 2009
  • Navigating the Interactive Process and Reasonable Accommodations When Managing Employees with Mental and Non-Visible Disabilities, EEOC Annual TAPS Conference, Oakland, CA, June 29, 2009, and San Jose, CA – June 12, 2008
  • Hiring and Managing Employees with Psychological Disabilities: Engaging in the Interactive Process to Provide Effective Reasonable Accommodations, series of trainings in Los Angeles, Oakland, Modesto, Ukiah and Santa Ana and webinar sponsored by Working Well Together (a California Institute of Mental Health (CIMH) program) – May through June 2009
  • Documenting Reasonable Accommodations for Employees with Mental Disabilities: Detangling Performance, Misconduct and Attendance Issues from Disability Limitations, San Joaquin County Department of Behavioral Health, Stockton, CA – April 28, 2009
  • Demystifying The Interactive Dialogue: Reasonable Accommodations for Employees with Psychiatric Disabilities
    • CA Association of Social Rehabilitation Agencies (CASRA) Spring 2009 Conference, San Mateo, CA – April 7, 2009
    • Solano County Department of Mental Health, Fairfield, CA – January 15, 2009
  • Reasonable Accommodations for Employees with Mental Disabilities, What It Means, How to Get One and How to Provide One, CA Consumer Employment Summit, sponsored by CA Mental Health Directors Association, Garden Grove, CA – October 3, 2008
  • Navigating The Maze of Workplace Disability Accommodations and Leave of Absence Laws Documenting Essential Job Functions and Each Step of the Interactive Process
    • Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health – June 25 and 26, 2008
    • California Association of Equal Rights Professionals (CAERP) Conference, Palm Springs, CA – June 18, 2008
    • Alameda County Training and Education Center, Oakland, CA – February 6, 2008
  • Mental and Physical Disabilities in the Workplace: Navigating the Maze of Accommodations, Leaves of Absence, and Performance/Misconduct Issues, Superior Courts for Marin, Napa and Sonoma Counties, CA – November 2007
  • Managing Employees with Disabilities: Engaging in an Interactive Dialogue to Determine Reasonable Accommodations, Managers Training at Peralta Community College District, Oakland, CA – October 30, 2007
  • Disability Discrimination: Demystifying the Reasonable Accommodation Process for Employees with Disabilities
    • Peralta Community College District, Oakland, CA – October 12, 2006
    • Liberty Benefit Insurance Services programs for HR Professionals, Atherton, CA – April 25, 2006
    • Liberty Benefit Insurance Services programs for HR Professionals, Milpitas, CA – April 20, 2006
    • Northern California Human Resources Association (NCHRA), San Francisco, CA – October 19, 2005
  • Managing Employees with Mental and Psychological Disabilities: Detangling Performance and Misconduct Issues from Disability Limitations, Administrative Office of the Courts/Judicial Council of California, Annual Statewide Training Conference for ADA coordinators and HR personnel of the CA state courts, San Francisco, CA – April 19, 2007 and April 16, 2008
  • How To Engage in the Interactive Dialogue with Employees with Disabilities to Determine Reasonable Workplace Accommodations, HR Star Conference, South San Francisco, CA – July 20, 2005
  • “Reasonable Accommodations for Employees and Applicants with Disabilities: How to Engage in the Interactive Dialogue,” Administrative Office of the Courts/Judicial Council of California, Annual Statewide Training Conference for ADA coordinators and HR personnel of the CA courts, San Francisco, CA – April 27, 2005
  • “Return to Work Issues Under California Disability Law: Workers’ Compensation and the CA Fair Employment & Housing Act,” Lorman Education Services seminar for HR, safety and risk management professionals, insurance claims representatives, rehabilitation and occupational health specialists, Oakland, CA – April 24, 2003