Employers Should Keep Open Mind on Service Animal Accommodation Requests

Employers should treat an employee’s request for a service animal as a reasonable accommodation for a disability like any other accommodation request, no matter what type of animal is under consideration, Peter Petesch, a shareholder with Littler told Bloomberg Law May 3.

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The definition of “service animal” is fuzzy under Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and can include a variety of species and a variety of tasks, including providing emotional support, Petesch said.

Despite Petesch’s advice to keep an open mind, the risk of fraudulent service animals is real, and poses a problem to both the legitimate ...