Ranking Member Takano & Democratic Colleagues Demand VA Provide Reasonable Accommodations for Disabled Employees

WASHINGTON— Today, House Committee on Veterans' Affairs Ranking Member Mark Takano and his Committee Democratic colleagues sent a letter to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Doug Collins following reports that VA terminated virtually all reasonable accommodations for disabled employees. Ranking Member Takano and his Democratic colleagues demanded information about his decision to terminate these accommodations for disabled VA employees, including those who are veterans with service-connected disabilities.

Ranking Member Takano issued the following statement upon sending the letter:

“Once again, Secretary Collins and Deputy Secretary Lawrence are choosing to ignore the law and strip VA employees of their legally protected rights. Their decision to scrutinize long-standing reasonable accommodations and deny new accommodation requests for employees with disabilities, all under the guise of “productivity,” raises serious discrimination concerns. This is just the latest example of their efforts to dismantle VA’s workforce that veterans depend on for their care. VA employees are the backbone of the Department, but under the Trump administration, their rights–including their rights under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act–have been violated. VA’s leaders should be focused on being an employer of choice for people with disabilities, including veterans. Instead, Secretary Collins and Deputy Secretary Lawrence are making VA a hostile environment for both disabled employees and veterans.”

Link to letter.

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