SHRM has been found liable for failing to accommodate a job applicant who uses a service dog to manage Type 1 diabetes – a violation of the federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and state law.
On Oct. 9, a federal jury in Virginia awarded Fiona Torres $400,000 in compensatory damages; it declined to award punitive damages.
According to Torres’ complaint, she had accepted an offer for a senior specialist position in SHRM’s product management department in June 2024. She then asked to bring her service dog to the Alexandria office. The dog alerts her when her blood sugar approaches dangerous levels. She said she experienced life-threatening blackouts before getting the dog and only one in the eight years since. SHRM rescinded the job offer in July.
At trial, SHRM argued it had proposed alternate accommodations. It also pointed to the lack of a doctor’s prescription for the dog and the fact that Torres sometimes goes without her service animal when exercising or traveling.
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