SHRM ordered to pay $400,000 in service dog job offer case
HR organization SHRM was ordered to pay $400,000 after a jury found it violated disability laws by rescinding a job offer to a woman who requested to bring a service dog to work.
The HR industry group SHRM (The Society for Human Resource Management) has been ordered to pay $400,000 in damages after a jury found the organization violated the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Virginia Human Rights Act. The verdict stems from a case where SHRM withdrew a job offer to an applicant after she requested to bring her service dog to the workplace.
The lawsuit was filed in 2024 when Fiona Torres alleged that SHRM rescinded her job offer for a senior specialist position in product management a month after extending it. Torres, who has diabetes, stated the dog could detect blood glucose level changes faster and more reliably than her glucose monitor.
SHRM did not grant the request, stating in court filings that it attempted to provide "multiple accommodations" other than the one requested. These included allowing her to use her glucose monitoring system and insulin pump at work, and permitting necessary breaks to check blood sugar levels and eat or drink at her workstation.
SHRM has indicated it is considering an appeal, suggesting the verdict could impact the "interactive process" intended by the ADA. In a statement on its website, the organization said, "We are evaluating all appellate options to protect not just our own position, but the operational rights of HR departments and employers nationwide."
Torres' lawyer expressed satisfaction with the verdict, viewing it as a warning to other employers regarding the proper handling of disability accommodation requests.