disability discrimination
Inequality based on disability can happen in many contexts, and the healthcare sector is no exception. Fortunately, civil rights laws protect against disability discrimination, and an experienced long-term disability lawyer can help you take action when you have been treated unfairly in the workplace or at a healthcare provider’s office.
A 2022 report by the RWJF and Urban Institute found that a greater percentage of adults with disabilities than those without disabilities reported experiencing unfair treatment in one of three settings: health care settings, work, or applying for public benefits. Disabled adults also were more likely than those without disabilities to report adverse consequences after the experience.
According to federal laws, a healthcare provider or other covered entity cannot discriminate against a person with a disability in programs or activities receiving financial assistance from the federal government. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 prohibit such discrimination, and they cover programs or activities at all levels of government, including state and local agencies and schools.
Can disability discrimination occur in the healthcare sector?
The ADA defines disability as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity. A person must be considered severely impaired to be eligible for long-term disability insurance, and this means that the impairment has lasted for two years or more. A Toronto disability lawyer can explain that this does not mean that the person has a total physical inability to do any job. In fact, the Supreme Court of Canada has established that “total disability” means being unable to perform your core duties for two years or more.
When a healthcare provider discriminates against a disabled person, it can cause serious harm, and it is illegal. If you believe that you have been a victim of disability lawyer toronto, or have been denied long-term disability benefits you deserve, an experienced Ontario disability lawyer can help you fight for justice.
Mark Yazdani is a long-term disability lawyer that helps clients recover their benefits from insurers across the province of Ontario. He has been named one of the top disability lawyers in the country by Lexpert magazine and was inducted into the Canadian Disability Hall of Fame in 2024. He graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School and is a member of the Ontario Bar Association. He has a background in employment litigation and has been practicing disability law since 2003. He is dedicated to helping injured and sick people get the long-term disability benefits they deserve. Contact him for a free consultation. To schedule a meeting with him at your home or office, call 519-973-2406 or email him at [email protected]. To read previous blog posts by Mark, click here. He is available to answer your questions about disability discrimination, wrongful termination, workplace harassment, and other employment-related issues. He also has a YouTube channel with informative videos on these topics.