HR org SHRM found liable in disability lawsuit

A jury recently ruled that the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the largest HR organization in the United States, is liable for improperly handling a job applicant's request for a service dog in the workplace. The verdict, a $400,000 compensatory damages award, stems from a 2025 case in Alexandria, Virginia, where SHRM is headquartered.

According to the legal filing, the HR group offered the diabetic employee alternative accommodations, such as a continuous glucose monitoring system and an insulin pump, as well as break times for blood sugar checks and food consumption. However, the jury found SHRM in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Virginia Human Rights Act. No punitive damages were awarded.

SHRM disagreed with the verdict, stating it will explore appellate options to protect the operational rights of HR departments and employers nationwide. The group emphasized that the interactive process, which the ADA was designed around, should not become a one-size-fits-all approach to accommodation requests.

In a separate employment-related lawsuit, SHRM also faced an $11.5 million verdict in December 2024 for race discrimination and retaliation against a former employee. The organization has since appealed that decision. In December 2023, Business Insider reported on various controversies at SHRM, including an attendance policy that penalized workers for arriving a minute after 9 a.m., a memo about a conservative dress code, and comments made by SHRM CEO Johnny C. Taylor about employee entitlement.