It would be seen as discrimination to offer a reduced salary and position based on the fact an employee has a disability. Check out the Americans with Disabilities Act in the USA, or your local state or city employment laws. Always study up on employment laws before you decide to do anything like that, as well as check with HR for advice as well.
If your employees are harassing and bullying a person because they are disabled, you are liable for that as well.
The only reason why I couldn't have a lawsuit against my former employers is because lawyers don't want to handle a case if the person they have to represent is mentally ill, so there is discrimination there as well. For example my testimony would be questioned in court because of the fact that I am mentally ill. Sure I had the right to sue, sure the EEOC approved my case, but I could not find a lawyer to represent me in 180 days and the statues of limitation ran out.
Now you can accommodate them if this comes up by asking your staff not to bully and harass them for being mentally ill. If they have problems sleeping you can accommodate them to working a third shift at different hours (some sleep disorders happen because of sunlight or anxiety and if you allow them to sleep in they will be refreshed at nighttime during the third shift). If they need to go to a hospital to be treated there is a short-term disability and a federal family medial leave act that prevents you from firing them or giving them a reduce salary or reduce position for missing work.
When I studied business management we studied employment law. I advise you to do the same if you haven't already.
Make sure you document everything you do with HR to protect yourself, including any accommodating things you do to help. If you are not trying to accommodate the disabled person, it can be seen as discrimination. Make sure you document any lost productivity, as well as anything you are trying to do to help the disabled person recover productivity.
Use this test, if the person were blind or deaf or legless, would you treat them the same? If not, you could be discriminating against them.
If your employees are harassing and bullying a person because they are disabled, you are liable for that as well.
The only reason why I couldn't have a lawsuit against my former employers is because lawyers don't want to handle a case if the person they have to represent is mentally ill, so there is discrimination there as well. For example my testimony would be questioned in court because of the fact that I am mentally ill. Sure I had the right to sue, sure the EEOC approved my case, but I could not find a lawyer to represent me in 180 days and the statues of limitation ran out.
Now you can accommodate them if this comes up by asking your staff not to bully and harass them for being mentally ill. If they have problems sleeping you can accommodate them to working a third shift at different hours (some sleep disorders happen because of sunlight or anxiety and if you allow them to sleep in they will be refreshed at nighttime during the third shift). If they need to go to a hospital to be treated there is a short-term disability and a federal family medial leave act that prevents you from firing them or giving them a reduce salary or reduce position for missing work.
When I studied business management we studied employment law. I advise you to do the same if you haven't already.
Make sure you document everything you do with HR to protect yourself, including any accommodating things you do to help. If you are not trying to accommodate the disabled person, it can be seen as discrimination. Make sure you document any lost productivity, as well as anything you are trying to do to help the disabled person recover productivity.
Use this test, if the person were blind or deaf or legless, would you treat them the same? If not, you could be discriminating against them.