A Law Firm's Webinar on Ebola Hits a Nerve With Employers

Joe Ambash was quoted in the Boston Business Journal on October 28, 2014. The article “A Law Firm's Webinar on Ebola Hits a Nerve With Employers” discussed the rising demand for Fisher Phillips’ advice to employers and educational institutions on handling Ebola.

Joe provided a brief overview of the two Ebola webinars held by the firm.

The national labor and employment firm hosted webinars about dealing with the disease on Oct. 23 and Oct. 24 that drew about 1,000 attendees each, said Joe.

The questions the webinar answered, Joe said, included actions employers should take when employees express concern about business travel that takes them to countries where Ebola risks are higher and when employees worry about working alongside colleagues who may have been exposed to Ebola.

"You've got to look at this from a risk management perspective. Don't overreact. Don't panic. And you have to be respectful of the legal rights of employees and the rights of students. There are certain rights that apply in these situations," he said.

Joe likened the questions raised to conversations that occurred around the outbreaks of other illnesses, including severe acute respiratory syndrome in 2003 and, long before that, HIV/AIDS.

Joe said the Americans with Disabilities Act would cover some Ebola-related situation because it is a serious medical condition that impairs someone's ability to work. "Employers want to avoid in any way stepping on the rights of employees under the ADA," he stated.

When it comes to travel policies, Joe said, employers need to "balance reasonable fear and anxiety and unreasonable overreaction."

To read the full article, please visit Boston Business Journal.