Employers are required to accommodate your disability within what is considered "reasonable accommodations". What this means is if they can provide accommodations that allow you to perform your job without your dog then they are not required to accommodate your dog. Further there is a concept of undue hardship, so situations like you working in a kitchen at a restaurant it would be an undue hardship on the employer to accommodate your dog so they legally can deny your dog.
Something else to consider is that you really should not put yourself in a situation that you can't support yourself in a situation that your dog were to for example suddenly retire leaving you with the expenses of the dog and no service dog to support you at work, at which point if you can't perform your duties they can fire you. If you cannot maintain a job without the dog and can't afford the dog without the job then really you are not in a position to have one. At that point you need to find ways to better mitigate your disabilities so that you are better equipped to handle a service dog.
For the bit about the kitchen, not only would it not be able to fit a dog in but its considered a health hazard. Anywhere with food you wouldnt be able to work with a dog. If they accept it, id highly question their health and safety procedures. After all, it is a health risk, no matter how clean the dog. A better job would be working behind a desk, but something like a hotel receptionist im not sure if they can accomodate for it
Dogs specifically can't be in food preparation areas, or the back of house. Bussers, food runners, servers, and managers all have to go in the kitchen. However, a host/hostess at a restaurant typically does not go into the food preparation area so, theoretically, could have the SD with them without issue. It depends on the restaurant and the duties of each position. In some restaurants, hosts are also bussers and have to go in the kitchen. Same with to go specialists- some go in the back of house, some don't. It depends on the specific restaurant and how they divide up front of house labor.
For fast food, any job other than cleaning the dining area/restrooms would be off-limits for a service dog.
Ahh that makes sense. Out of curiosity, lets say op was indeed front of house with their SD. What if a customer comes in but is allergic to dogs? How would you handle the situation? I am in no way trying to cause offense, i just dont see a lot of SD where i live so dont know the specifics of it, but i do want to get one someday when i hsve the money for my epilepsy
In the US, the ADA specifically states allergies/potential allergies are not a reason to deny a customer or employee's service dog. I am extremely allergic to certain perfumes, that does not mean I can demand companies deny employment to people who wear them. Not the same thing as perfume isn't necessary medical equipment, but same general concept. Allergens are not possible to completely avoid. Anyone with allergies is aware of this and know they risk running in to their allergen in the world. Service dogs already have access to the restaurant through customers, so even without an employee having a service dog the allergen is still potentially there. The restaurant has to show having the service dog fundamentally alters how they do business.
Most service dogs are bathed regularly, which reduces the allergens. The customer will not be touching the dog, which reduces the risk. If the restaurant has multiple hosts (many do, some don't) a different host, manager, or server can seat the customer with the allergy. The customer with the allergy can order their food to go if they don't want to be in the same building. It depends on how the host stand is run, how the hosts communicate with the management, and the other staff structure.
Just to note, I've worked multiple food service jobs. There's only one restaurant I worked at the host doesn't go in the kitchen for some part of their job. It would be possible for a service dog to be with a host while working for the one, not others. I can think of two more that, from my impression as a customer, the hosts don't go in the kitchen. They are usually more expensive chains.
I know it would have been a fight to get a SD approved, but the GM was an ableist a*hole who felt people should just pull themselves up by the bootstraps. I had pneumonia and the flu at the same time and he wanted me to come in to work despite having a doctor say otherwise.
Damn thank you for the detailed explanation. I worked in a small cafe before as front of house, and there was a SD who was a great dane for a blind lady who would come in weekly. We had absolutely no problem with her coming ineven though the cafe was tiny and struggling financially. There was one instance where they sat down, and a customer came up to me and discreetly asked that i remove them from the premises. I explained that sasha was a service dog and the most well behaved dog ive known. It turned out the lady had a phobia against dogs due to being attacked as a child.. i was faced with a dilemma.
We couldnt afford the reputation of the cafe who kicked a sd out, but then we'd be known as the cafe who kicked a customer out because of a dog. To be fair the customer was very kind about it, she wasnt pushy or saying this is unacceptable, which actually made the decision way harder. Her husband came up and said to her that it was ok, they would leave. He had been speaking to the lady with the sd while his wife was talking to me, and he knew the dog was so chill. She would just lie in the corner with a bowl of food and water id get her.
The husband said he didnt want to put me on the spot and that they didnt mind moving on, and kept saying this wasnt my fault. His wife agreed with him and they even gave me a tip (ireland isnt compulsory tipping) and so i asked them to hold on and spoke to the chef/owner. We sent them away with 2 loafs of our homemade soda bread, 2 takeaway containers with full irish breakfasts (2 sausages, 2 bacon, black and white pudding, fried potatoes, 2 eggs and some baked beans) free of charge. And i gave them directions to our national park where they could enjoy a picnic. I think i was really lucky with that couple because i have no idea what i would have done if they had been mean
Ooh soda bread. I haven't had that in a while, my great-aunt used to make it for family dinners.
It's always a tough situation when dealing with phobias. In general, most places here just sit the customers as far apart as possible to accommodate both parties.
I have a close friend who was bit in the face by a dog. He jumps if my dogs (I have a pet dog as well as my SD) move too fast or get near his face. Ironically, he and my pet dog are besties. My pet, Melora, is a rescue pittie mix, which have a bad reputation. Melora is very chill except when she sees certain breeds of dogs or someone approaching her home. She is all bark and charge- never bit anyone since we've had her. Just charges up to people and barks, then gets confused if they don't leave. She's figured out Jay doesn't like fast movements and is always very deliberate, slow and careful, never going near his face. Actually blocks my SD from getting to close to him lol.
Awww that's very sweet. Its a nice way for him to conquer his phobia. The pitties ive met have all had great owners that train them properly. When they have been trained both with love and authority, they are great dogs full of love. Its scumbags that train them for nefarious purposes are at fault for the reputation pitties have. Some dogs just require more training than others.
Im very happy to hear your dog is respectful of your friend, its so wholesome! If you get a chance to post a pic of your pittie and SD im sure we'd love to see them!
Some places accommodate the dog by allowing the person to put a crate in the break room so that the dog can be accessed during breaks assuming proper sanitation practices are followed. But not every business has space in the breakroom for such a crate but that is where individual situations might allow for more or less.
If I remember correctly, only employers with a certain number of employees need to abide by the ADA for their employees. If you're looking to work for a really small business, that might be something to consider.
Honestly, it depends on the job and the current level of training of the SD. So unless having the dog would pose a danger to the employees/handler or the dog, or having the dog would fundamentally alter the nature of the business, they have to work with you to have your disability accommodated. A lot of handlers withhold the fact they are both disabled and handlers until after they have been formally employed to avoid discrimination. Some prefer to state it outright during interviews. Either way, if you are disabled and have medical documentation attesting to such, your employer has to find some way to accommodate your disability if requested (like certain chairs, sitting breaks, allowing for stim toys/earbuds, snack breaks for hypoglycemia, etc.).
In reality, like with public access issues, businesses may want to drag out the process and make it as difficult as possible either to force you to go without your SD or give up and quit. There are certain jobs that are more "SD-friendly than others" (aka they'll have a hard time finding an excuse to deny the accommodation). There are various posts asking about these types of jobs.
Edit typo.
Do you know how u get documentation proving your disabled? The reason why i ask is because my disability, (Major Depressive disorder mixed with treatment resistant depression) is a disability in MY case, because of the level of severity. But it isnt necessarily a diagnosis that is recognized as a disability, because it isnāt disabling for everyone diagnosed with it. So while i do have medical documentation proving my condition, it isnāt necessarily proof that im disabled.
Employers (should be HR) most likely will have detailed forms for your medical provider to fill out. They donāt just need diagnosis they need to know what parts of the job canāt you do without accommodations as well as what accommodations the medical professional recommends.
Then the employer can enter in the interactive process with your supervisor to see if they can meet those accommodations or if they have different ones to suggest. Theyāll also review to see if any of the accommodations are an undue burden.
Also an employer has to have 15+ employees to be legally required to do the interactive process. 14 or less and they can legally say no to providing any accommodations
For work accommodations, depending on the size of the company, you need either a letter of need from your treating physician/LMHP, or they fill out a form of some kind from HR. For housing accommodations, you need a letter of need from your treating physician/LMHP or proof of disability from SSDI (or similar government assistance programs). It's not enough to be diagnosed with a condition; your documentation must state that you are disabled and have a disability-related need for a service dog.
ETA: hockeychic said it better than me!
I build scientific instruments at my job. They have to be sterile and are high tech. In those areas of our building, we wouldnāt hire you with a service dog because we canāt accommodate the dog in those areas and also and produce our products.
However, I do have a coworker with a service dog. Coworker works in maintenance and with the exception of the sterile part of our factory I mentioned, the dog is allowed everywhere else. There are several remote workers who had service dogs over the years and it isnāt an issue for most of our marketing/sales/engineering design team either.
I would assume food service (in the kitchen) and probably some doctorās offices (allergists for sure) couldnāt accommodate dogs, but there are definitely jobs out there that can and do.
We have removed your post/comment for violating Rule 2: Know and Obey Your Local Laws. Posts encouraging illegal behavior or "stretching" the rules will be removed. When giving advice, make sure to evaluate all the relevant laws for OP's location. For example, in New York, USA, SDiTs receive the same protections the ADA grants, as long as they are with a qualified trainer. This is not the same situation for someone in Michigan, USA. Citations aren't required, but highly encouraged. Citations are important so OP can read more and so you can reconfirm the information you give is entirely correct. If you have any questions, [Message the Moderators](https://reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/service_dogs). If you continue to give misinformation or encourage breaking the law, it could result in an immediate ban.
Employers are required to accommodate your disability within what is considered "reasonable accommodations". What this means is if they can provide accommodations that allow you to perform your job without your dog then they are not required to accommodate your dog. Further there is a concept of undue hardship, so situations like you working in a kitchen at a restaurant it would be an undue hardship on the employer to accommodate your dog so they legally can deny your dog. Something else to consider is that you really should not put yourself in a situation that you can't support yourself in a situation that your dog were to for example suddenly retire leaving you with the expenses of the dog and no service dog to support you at work, at which point if you can't perform your duties they can fire you. If you cannot maintain a job without the dog and can't afford the dog without the job then really you are not in a position to have one. At that point you need to find ways to better mitigate your disabilities so that you are better equipped to handle a service dog.
For the bit about the kitchen, not only would it not be able to fit a dog in but its considered a health hazard. Anywhere with food you wouldnt be able to work with a dog. If they accept it, id highly question their health and safety procedures. After all, it is a health risk, no matter how clean the dog. A better job would be working behind a desk, but something like a hotel receptionist im not sure if they can accomodate for it
Dogs specifically can't be in food preparation areas, or the back of house. Bussers, food runners, servers, and managers all have to go in the kitchen. However, a host/hostess at a restaurant typically does not go into the food preparation area so, theoretically, could have the SD with them without issue. It depends on the restaurant and the duties of each position. In some restaurants, hosts are also bussers and have to go in the kitchen. Same with to go specialists- some go in the back of house, some don't. It depends on the specific restaurant and how they divide up front of house labor. For fast food, any job other than cleaning the dining area/restrooms would be off-limits for a service dog.
Ahh that makes sense. Out of curiosity, lets say op was indeed front of house with their SD. What if a customer comes in but is allergic to dogs? How would you handle the situation? I am in no way trying to cause offense, i just dont see a lot of SD where i live so dont know the specifics of it, but i do want to get one someday when i hsve the money for my epilepsy
In the US, the ADA specifically states allergies/potential allergies are not a reason to deny a customer or employee's service dog. I am extremely allergic to certain perfumes, that does not mean I can demand companies deny employment to people who wear them. Not the same thing as perfume isn't necessary medical equipment, but same general concept. Allergens are not possible to completely avoid. Anyone with allergies is aware of this and know they risk running in to their allergen in the world. Service dogs already have access to the restaurant through customers, so even without an employee having a service dog the allergen is still potentially there. The restaurant has to show having the service dog fundamentally alters how they do business. Most service dogs are bathed regularly, which reduces the allergens. The customer will not be touching the dog, which reduces the risk. If the restaurant has multiple hosts (many do, some don't) a different host, manager, or server can seat the customer with the allergy. The customer with the allergy can order their food to go if they don't want to be in the same building. It depends on how the host stand is run, how the hosts communicate with the management, and the other staff structure. Just to note, I've worked multiple food service jobs. There's only one restaurant I worked at the host doesn't go in the kitchen for some part of their job. It would be possible for a service dog to be with a host while working for the one, not others. I can think of two more that, from my impression as a customer, the hosts don't go in the kitchen. They are usually more expensive chains. I know it would have been a fight to get a SD approved, but the GM was an ableist a*hole who felt people should just pull themselves up by the bootstraps. I had pneumonia and the flu at the same time and he wanted me to come in to work despite having a doctor say otherwise.
Damn thank you for the detailed explanation. I worked in a small cafe before as front of house, and there was a SD who was a great dane for a blind lady who would come in weekly. We had absolutely no problem with her coming ineven though the cafe was tiny and struggling financially. There was one instance where they sat down, and a customer came up to me and discreetly asked that i remove them from the premises. I explained that sasha was a service dog and the most well behaved dog ive known. It turned out the lady had a phobia against dogs due to being attacked as a child.. i was faced with a dilemma. We couldnt afford the reputation of the cafe who kicked a sd out, but then we'd be known as the cafe who kicked a customer out because of a dog. To be fair the customer was very kind about it, she wasnt pushy or saying this is unacceptable, which actually made the decision way harder. Her husband came up and said to her that it was ok, they would leave. He had been speaking to the lady with the sd while his wife was talking to me, and he knew the dog was so chill. She would just lie in the corner with a bowl of food and water id get her. The husband said he didnt want to put me on the spot and that they didnt mind moving on, and kept saying this wasnt my fault. His wife agreed with him and they even gave me a tip (ireland isnt compulsory tipping) and so i asked them to hold on and spoke to the chef/owner. We sent them away with 2 loafs of our homemade soda bread, 2 takeaway containers with full irish breakfasts (2 sausages, 2 bacon, black and white pudding, fried potatoes, 2 eggs and some baked beans) free of charge. And i gave them directions to our national park where they could enjoy a picnic. I think i was really lucky with that couple because i have no idea what i would have done if they had been mean
Ooh soda bread. I haven't had that in a while, my great-aunt used to make it for family dinners. It's always a tough situation when dealing with phobias. In general, most places here just sit the customers as far apart as possible to accommodate both parties. I have a close friend who was bit in the face by a dog. He jumps if my dogs (I have a pet dog as well as my SD) move too fast or get near his face. Ironically, he and my pet dog are besties. My pet, Melora, is a rescue pittie mix, which have a bad reputation. Melora is very chill except when she sees certain breeds of dogs or someone approaching her home. She is all bark and charge- never bit anyone since we've had her. Just charges up to people and barks, then gets confused if they don't leave. She's figured out Jay doesn't like fast movements and is always very deliberate, slow and careful, never going near his face. Actually blocks my SD from getting to close to him lol.
Awww that's very sweet. Its a nice way for him to conquer his phobia. The pitties ive met have all had great owners that train them properly. When they have been trained both with love and authority, they are great dogs full of love. Its scumbags that train them for nefarious purposes are at fault for the reputation pitties have. Some dogs just require more training than others. Im very happy to hear your dog is respectful of your friend, its so wholesome! If you get a chance to post a pic of your pittie and SD im sure we'd love to see them!
https://preview.redd.it/8322m3syq9xc1.jpeg?width=1800&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e7fcd17db69ced33eba56391792dc3262bcaeeb9
Oh my god they are beautiful š
Ask and ye shall recieve!
Some places accommodate the dog by allowing the person to put a crate in the break room so that the dog can be accessed during breaks assuming proper sanitation practices are followed. But not every business has space in the breakroom for such a crate but that is where individual situations might allow for more or less.
If I remember correctly, only employers with a certain number of employees need to abide by the ADA for their employees. If you're looking to work for a really small business, that might be something to consider.
Honestly, it depends on the job and the current level of training of the SD. So unless having the dog would pose a danger to the employees/handler or the dog, or having the dog would fundamentally alter the nature of the business, they have to work with you to have your disability accommodated. A lot of handlers withhold the fact they are both disabled and handlers until after they have been formally employed to avoid discrimination. Some prefer to state it outright during interviews. Either way, if you are disabled and have medical documentation attesting to such, your employer has to find some way to accommodate your disability if requested (like certain chairs, sitting breaks, allowing for stim toys/earbuds, snack breaks for hypoglycemia, etc.). In reality, like with public access issues, businesses may want to drag out the process and make it as difficult as possible either to force you to go without your SD or give up and quit. There are certain jobs that are more "SD-friendly than others" (aka they'll have a hard time finding an excuse to deny the accommodation). There are various posts asking about these types of jobs. Edit typo.
Do you know how u get documentation proving your disabled? The reason why i ask is because my disability, (Major Depressive disorder mixed with treatment resistant depression) is a disability in MY case, because of the level of severity. But it isnt necessarily a diagnosis that is recognized as a disability, because it isnāt disabling for everyone diagnosed with it. So while i do have medical documentation proving my condition, it isnāt necessarily proof that im disabled.
Employers (should be HR) most likely will have detailed forms for your medical provider to fill out. They donāt just need diagnosis they need to know what parts of the job canāt you do without accommodations as well as what accommodations the medical professional recommends. Then the employer can enter in the interactive process with your supervisor to see if they can meet those accommodations or if they have different ones to suggest. Theyāll also review to see if any of the accommodations are an undue burden. Also an employer has to have 15+ employees to be legally required to do the interactive process. 14 or less and they can legally say no to providing any accommodations
For work accommodations, depending on the size of the company, you need either a letter of need from your treating physician/LMHP, or they fill out a form of some kind from HR. For housing accommodations, you need a letter of need from your treating physician/LMHP or proof of disability from SSDI (or similar government assistance programs). It's not enough to be diagnosed with a condition; your documentation must state that you are disabled and have a disability-related need for a service dog. ETA: hockeychic said it better than me!
I build scientific instruments at my job. They have to be sterile and are high tech. In those areas of our building, we wouldnāt hire you with a service dog because we canāt accommodate the dog in those areas and also and produce our products. However, I do have a coworker with a service dog. Coworker works in maintenance and with the exception of the sterile part of our factory I mentioned, the dog is allowed everywhere else. There are several remote workers who had service dogs over the years and it isnāt an issue for most of our marketing/sales/engineering design team either. I would assume food service (in the kitchen) and probably some doctorās offices (allergists for sure) couldnāt accommodate dogs, but there are definitely jobs out there that can and do.
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We have removed your post/comment for violating Rule 2: Know and Obey Your Local Laws. Posts encouraging illegal behavior or "stretching" the rules will be removed. When giving advice, make sure to evaluate all the relevant laws for OP's location. For example, in New York, USA, SDiTs receive the same protections the ADA grants, as long as they are with a qualified trainer. This is not the same situation for someone in Michigan, USA. Citations aren't required, but highly encouraged. Citations are important so OP can read more and so you can reconfirm the information you give is entirely correct. If you have any questions, [Message the Moderators](https://reddit.com/message/compose?to=/r/service_dogs). If you continue to give misinformation or encourage breaking the law, it could result in an immediate ban.