[blindlaw] Federal law and working in large restaurant kitchens?

[Gregory Chang Patti]

Laura Martin is in Illinois worked at Charlie Treners restaurant. You may wish to speak with her.

Patti S. Gregory-Chang
NFB Scholarship Comm. Chair
Sent from my iPhone

On Dec 23, 2012, at 11:22 PM, Beth Taurasi <denverqueen1107 at comcast.net> wrote:

> There is probably no federal law regarding the knife thingy.  What you said, Kirt, was that he said you couldn't make a salad.  I know how to make a salad and had to do it in an industrial sized kitchen with other people working in it.  Blind people no less.  The employer said you couldn't, but there is no way I can prove, as an employer at a McDonald's for instance, that blind people can't chop lettuce, onions, celery, etc.  The Colorado Center for the Blind expected me to chop things, so I chop things with knives all the time when I get a chance.  Btw, I have an incomplete but albeit good knife set.
> Beth
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: ray wayne <rwayne1 at nyc.rr.com
> To: blindlaw at nfbnet.org
> Date sent: Sun, 23 Dec 2012 21:57:21 -0500
> Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Federal law and working in large restaurant kitchens?
> 
> I am aware of no such provision. In general, the "direct threat" defense must be based on real evidence, which the employer has the burden of proving, not just the assumption that a blind person using a knife would pose a threat to himself or others.
> Ray Wayne
> 
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> ,f3 ,kirt ,manw>+ <kirt.crazydude at gmail.com
> ,to3 ,,nfb,'net ,bl ,law ,mail+ ,li/ <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>,
> Date: Sunday, Dec 23, 2012 18:53:46
> Subject: [bllaw] Federal law and working in large restaurant kitchens?
> 
> 
> 
> Hello list,
>  My name is Kirt Manwaring.  Up until now, I've had no real need to
> post to this list (even though I've thoroughly enjoyed watching the
> discussion that's taken place here), but I have a question that's
> recently come up regarding the legality of a totally blind person
> working in the kitchen of a large fast-food restaurant.  There is a
> good chance I'll be hired by a local Macdonalds that is owned by a
> close family friend; all things considered, he's fairly willing to
> give me a fair shot, as far as I can tell.  However, he just informed
> me that, due to federal law, I would be unable to do things in the
> industrial kitchen that would conceivably threaten my safety or the
> safety of those around me.  As an example, he said I would be unable
> to make a salad, because I would be using a knife and, acording to
> federal law, me using a knife in a kitchen of a large restaurant poses
> a safety risk.  I probably won't fight it, because this is only a
> temporary job and I doubt I would make any progress, but I'm just
> curious if my family friend is correct, or if Macdonalds is simply
> misinterpreting the direct threat portion of the ADA.  Any thoughts
> would be very much appreciated.
>  Cordially submitted,
> Kirt Manwaring
> 
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