The Workers’ Compensation - ADA Overlap: Common Employer Pitfalls and Best Practices
On our May 28, 2026, Employment Law Webinar, HSB’s Matt Blake discussed one of the more nuanced intersections in employment law: the relationship between state workers' compensation systems and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). For those who were unable to attend, these are the key takeaways: Two Laws, One Workforce Workers' compensation and the ADA create different frameworks for physical ailments that may coincide in the workplace. W orkers' compensation is addressed by state law; the ADA is federal. When the two conflict, the ADA governs, and state law cannot permit or require discriminatory conduct against a person who qualifies as disabled under the ADA . Critically, workers' compensation exclusivity provisions do not shield employers from ADA obligations. A Workers' Compensation Claim Is Not an ADA Disability, Necessarily The ADA has a three-pronged definition of disability: a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activi...