What might happen to a police officer who has just developed epilepsy?

Answer 1

Epilepsy and Police WorkEpilepsy is usually manageable with the right medication. I would think that it would depend on department regulations and civil rights laws. Perhaps you should contact your PA rep. and discuss what your options might be.

Other s

• I have heard of a Police Officer who joined up with epilepsy - as far I am aware it hasn't caused any problems for them.

• Obviously the person has to be "seizure free" in order to drive ANY car. If not "seizure free" they are not able to continue their employment, because being a licensed driver is a basic requirement for all Police Officers, everywhere.

• Talk to your HR dept or Union rep and/or contact the EEOC. Under the Americans with Disabilities act, they have to make reasonable accommodation for your disability. Reassigning you to a non-driving position while your medication is being regulated may well be a reasonable accommodation.

• The answers above are too vague, and a better answer is available if you refer in the Discussion tab to the ORIGINAL question. If an employee becomes incapable of performing EVEN ONE of the job's "essential functions" (defined by the employer, not the employee) that employee has zero protection under ADA. Someone determined by a doctor to be unfit to drive a car or use a firearm is unable to perform essential functions of a police officer. ADA protection (and parallel state law protection) is gone. The employer has no duty to consider accommodation or to search for a reasonable (not too expensive or bothersome) accommodation. Many workers miss the point that disability laws cover only a narrow middle slice of medically impaired workers. ADA does not protect anyone with a minor or temporary impairment; nor does it protect anyone with a profound medical impairment that renders one or more essential duties impossible. ADA obliges employers to give attention to the middle-ground situation: substantial permanent impairment, but still marginally capable of doing the current job, with low cost accommodation. One answer above suggested reassignment. ADA (and parallel state law) includes no obligation to create a new and different position for the now-unqualified worker. A police officer must be able to drive and use firearms; if you can't do your current job, you are legally entitled to no accommodation from the employer.
• Since epilepsy can be controlled for 10, 20, 30 years without seizure, I wouldn't see why one couldn't become technically a police officer. However, our culture might not make it possible. Common folk who hear about such hire will get just a little bit paranoid when their sixth-grade paradigms are challenged. Many conclude, through an erroneous chain of assumption something like, if someone has epilepsy they have brain damage and if they have brain damage they have a mental disorder, if they have a mental disorder how can they (work, drive a car, become a police officer)? Add to that, a social more for the police officer to clean-the-state when the law doesn't quite let it happen and someone with epilepsy will face some strong obstacles upon hire.