People Processes

Question: We have found pornography on an employee’s computer. How should we handle this? And, is an employee’s addiction to pornography protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)? Answer: An addiction to pornography is not protected because under the ADA, it is not defined as a disability. According to ADA, the term disability does not include: Transvestism, transsexualism, pedophilia, exhibitionism, voyeurism, gender identity disorders not resulting from physical impairments, or other sexual behavior disorders; Compulsive gambling, kleptomania, or pyromania; or Psychoactive substance use disorders resulting from current illegal use of drugs. However, even if pornography qualified as a disability under ADA, an employer is not prevented from disciplining an employee with a disability for a violation of a company-established conduct rule. According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), if the conduct rule is job-related and consistent with business necessity