Sharam Kohan

Sharam Kohan

Sharam Kohan is an organizational leadership professional with experience spanning employment law, human resources, and public service. He is currently an LL.M. degree candidate at UC Berkeley School of Law and previously served on Alameda County’s Human Relations Commission, advancing equity-focused community initiatives. He holds an Employment Law specialization from Temple University School of Law and is SHRM-certified. Sharam is also a writer whose work explores the intersection of law and philosophy, including Judgment, a Priori Itself and Sartre’s Conception of Freedom. He comments on organizational dynamics and social issues, and supports Bay Area community organizations through philanthropy and volunteer service.

ADA “Job Accommodation”

Someone with a disability doesn’t necessarily need a job accommodation. Remember that we select people and place them in jobs if they are qualified for the performance of the essential functions, with or without a job accommodation. Someone with diabetes…

ADA “Major Life Activities”

Caring for oneself, seeing, hearing, touching, eating, sleeping, walking, standing, sitting, reaching, lifting, bending, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, interacting with others, and working all are considered “major life activities.” Also included are major bodily functions such as…

ADA “Substantially Limits”

Employers are required to consider as disabled anyone with a condition that “substantially limits,” but does not “significantly restrict,” a major life activity. Even though the limitation might be reduced or eliminated with medication or other alleviation, the treatment may…

ADA Amendments Act of 2008

Following the U.S. Supreme Court decisions in Sutton v. United Airlines and in Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Kentucky, Inc., v. William, Congress felt that the Court had been too restrictive in its interpretation of who qualifies as disabled. It was the…

ADA Provisions and Protections

ADA Provisions and Protections Title I—Employment—applies to employers with 15 or more workers on the payroll. Those employers may not discriminate against a physically or mentally disabled individual in recruitment, hiring, promotions, training, pay, social activities, and other privileges of…