Disability Leave

Leave of absence granted to employees who have become unable to perform the functions of their job as a result of a physical or medical condition, or temporary disability, with or without reasonable accommodation. The Americans with Disabilities Act ensures that any employee who cannot perform their job functions has the right to take disability leave or to reasonable accommodation. 

The Equality Act of 2010 in the UK defines disability as ‘any physical or mental impairment with a considerable and long-term harmful effect on a person's capacity to carry out normal day-to-day activities.’ There are numerous categories of disability that can be protected by law. 

Disability vs Sick Leave

In contrast to sick leave, which is used when an employee is too ill to work, disability leave typically refers to time off work for disability-related reasons, such as attending doctor visits or receiving treatment related to specific disabilities faced by a particular employee.

Some HR management software allows organizations to configure custom leave policies such as disability leave on an individual employee basis for easy management of such leave.