Connecticut Appellate Court Upholds Employer’s Right to Require In-Office Work
he Connecticut Appellate Court recently affirmed summary judgment in favor of a law firm employer, holding that a legal assistant’s request to work entirely remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic was not a reasonable accommodation under state anti-discrimination law. The decision in Castelino v. Whitman, Breed, Abbott & Morgan, LLC provides helpful guidance for employers navigating remote work requests as disability accommodations and clarifies the legal standard for determining essential job functions in the post-pandemic workplace. Quick Hits The Connecticut Appellate Court affirmed summary judgment for a law firm employer, finding that in-person work was an essential function of the plaintiff’s legal assistant position. The plaintiff, who had diabetes and asthma, requested to work exclusively from home due to COVID-19 concerns. The employer denied the request but allowed some remote work on specific days. The court held that the requested accommodation—f ull-time remot...