“A major issue in the case involves the federal Rehabilitation Act.
The law prohibits disability discrimination within federal agencies and requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations when appropriate.
According to the complaint, EOIR effectively adopted a blanket policy against remote work accommodations. The plaintiffs argue that such an approach violates federal law because agencies must evaluate accommodation requests individually.
Legal experts note that telework has increasingly become a recognized accommodation for employees with certain disabilities, particularly after the widespread adoption of remote work during the pandemic.
Therefore, the court’s interpretation of the Rehabilitation Act could have implications far beyond immigration courts.”