Sleep deprivation: Know whether it’s a performance problem or a disability

Employers striving for a diverse workforce take care not to discriminate against employees with a disability, but hidden disabilities can be tricky. Supervisors might think they’re dealing with performance problems when they really should be considering whether an employee has a disability protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  Sleep deprivation—which the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) deems a public health problem—can pose such a dilemma. Workers in every field can suffer from a lack of sleep for any number of reasons, but shift workers are particularly susceptible. The summary of a study the CDC published in March 2017 says the duration and quality of sleep has “a direct effect on worker health and safety.” The study notes that certain fields are more likely to employ shift workers—namely production, health care, protective service, transportation and material moving, and food preparation and…

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