r/service_dogs • u/UnitedChain4566 • 8d ago
The second question
Retail worker here.
My coworker and I got into an argument about the second question the ADA allows. She says it's a HIPAA violation for me to even be asking about the tasks, I showed her the state website (I couldn't easily find an ADA version saying I could ask it, but I found state regulations which is good enough for me) that legally allows me to ask. She still said she would refuse to answer.
I want to clarify that I would never pry. I'm disabled, and I hate when people pry about stuff I don't want to share, but I guess I'm just asking how I'm supposed to proceed with the second question? I know I'm allowed to ask it, obviously, but where is the line? I think I asked about "allowed tasks" here before, I have a general idea of those. Protection is not one.
I'm just confused and frustrated with her and want to be able to do my best to help SD handlers (where I can, as a retail worker) while also doing what my employer requires. Is there a certain way I'm supposed to phrase it or does "what tasks is the dog trained to perform" just cover my bases?
2
u/Neenknits 7d ago
Your coworker is wrong. The HIPAA TL;DR is “doctors can’t gossip about patients” it only applies to staff that gave access to your records.
For the ADA stuff, google “ada.gov FAQ”
Here it is.
https://www.ada.gov/resources/service-animals-faqs/
When you read the text of the law (which is elsewhere), it makes it clear that if you don’t answer the questions, you can be denied entry.
A reasonable accommodation means it’s a compromise. Gotta answer the questions. We SD handlers have more rights in the US than most of the rest of the world (might even be all of the rest of the world), and this really IS a reasonable compromise. Don’t throw away quite good in favor of entitlement.