Color vision for network techs
JC Dill
jcdill.lists at gmail.com
Fri Aug 31 18:27:28 UTC 2012
On 31/08/12 7:54 AM, Scott Morris wrote:
> The ADA act does not allow people to have access to every single job
> regardless of their handicap. So, if something requires the ability to
> see certain colors, then that's a requirement.
Be careful about those "requirements". The ADA requires employers to
make "reasonable accommodations" to people with a handicap or
disability. There are solutions such as using colored lenses to view
LEDs or shining colored lights on objects (see the post about using a
red flashlight to help with CAT5 wiring) that can aid those with color
blindness issues. These solutions are not practical for certain jobs
such as an airline pilot or train conductor where they can legally
refuse to hire people who don't pass color vision tests. But the
work-around solutions are likely to be considered "reasonable
accommodations" for most jobs in the IT/Networking field.
So if you DO decide to test for color vision, make sure you know your
rights and responsibilities for handling any employee or applicant who
fails the test.
IANAL - if you have any questions be sure to get advice from an attorney
- preferably one who specializes in employment law.
jc
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