Can I Be Fired for Having Heart Disease?
Living with heart disease can be physically and emotionally challenging. If you are a worker in California managing a serious heart condition, you may have concerns about how your diagnosis affects your job. Under both California and federal law, employees with heart disease may have legal protections against discrimination and wrongful termination. This guide outlines your rights at work and what to do if your employer mistreats you because of your health condition.
Legal Protections for Serious Health Conditions
In California, employees with heart disease are protected under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). These laws prohibit employers from discriminating against an employee based on a qualifying disability, which includes many heart conditions. Serious health conditions like heart disease may qualify as a disability if the condition limits one or more major life activities, such as walking, working, or breathing.
Under these laws, employers must engage in an interactive process with the employee to determine whether a reasonable accommodation will allow the employee to perform the essential functions of their job. Employers are also prohibited from retaliating or terminating an employee because of their medical condition or disability.
Reasonable Accommodations for Heart Disease
Reasonable accommodations are changes in the workplace or to how a job is performed that help an employee with a disability perform their job duties. Employers must provide accommodations unless doing so would cause an undue hardship to the business.
Examples of reasonable accommodations for employees with heart disease may include:
| Accommodation | Description |
|---|---|
| Modified Work Schedule | Allowing a reduced or flexible work hours schedule to manage symptoms or attend medical appointments. |
| Remote Work | Permitting work-from-home arrangements when consistent with job duties. |
| Job Reassignment | Reassignment to a vacant position for which the employee is qualified. |
| Ergonomic Changes | Adjusting physical workspaces to limit physical strain. |
| Extra Break Time | Providing additional short rest breaks to accommodate fatigue or medical needs. |
To secure an accommodation, employees should communicate with their employer and may need to provide medical documentation confirming the need for accommodation.
Recognizing Discrimination at Work
Discrimination against individuals with disabilities is prohibited. Workplace discrimination tied to heart disease could appear in various forms, such as:
- Being denied a promotion or pay raise due to your condition
- Receiving increased scrutiny or negative evaluations after disclosing your diagnosis
- Being excluded from meetings or job responsibilities you previously had
- Having your condition discussed disrespectfully among staff or managers
- Being assigned to less favorable shifts or locations without cause
These actions may violate your rights under California law and could be grounds for a legal claim.
Steps to Take If You’re Terminated
If you believe your termination was related to your heart condition, it’s important to take action to protect your rights. Follow these steps:
- Request a written explanation for your termination from your employer
- Gather documentation, such as emails, performance reviews, and medical records
- Write down a timeline of events, including when you were diagnosed and how your employer responded
- File a complaint with the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) or the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
- Consult an employment law attorney to evaluate your legal options
Being dismissed from your job because of a medical condition such as heart disease could amount to disability discrimination, particularly if your employer failed to accommodate you or retaliated against you for requesting accommodations.
Consulting an Employment Law Attorney
If you are facing discrimination, denial of accommodations, or wrongful termination due to heart disease, you have legal rights that deserve protection. Working with an experienced employment attorney can help you understand whether your employer violated California law and what legal remedies you can pursue.
The attorneys at Miracle Mile Law Group specialize in representing workers in disability discrimination cases and are committed to protecting the rights of employees across California. For more information, visit our Disability Discrimination page.
You do not have to navigate this process alone. Legal counsel can help you secure compensation, reinstatement, or other relief available under the law.
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