An employer was not required to extend an employee’s six-month leave of absence as a reasonable accommodation for her ankle injury, a California appellate court ruled. California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) does not require an employer to hold a position open indefinitely, the court noted.
The employee worked as a dispatcher for the city of Sacramento from 1994 to 2014. Sometime before early 2014, she injured her right ankle. She continued to work until the pain in her ankle increased while she was required to use a foot pedal as part of her job. By early 2014, the pain also interfered with walking and driving.
