title: An unmentionable personnel problem of the 1980s.
abstract: The problems of the terminally ill are treated frequently in plays and books today. With workers in the United States enjoying greater longevity and with medicine's ability to prolong lives after serious illnesses, human resources people and managers will be confronting this problem, too. In addition to behaving in a socially responsible way, changes in the law make it mandatory to deal with the problems of the handicapped in an innovative way. Also, premature termination of those hopelessly ill may be illegal. In this article, Mark Lipton, who has researched this subject, discusses the personnel rights of the handicapped and terminally ill and sound management practice in this area. Managers may wish to avoid this subject because for many it is unpleasant, but given their responsibilities and changes in applicable laws, they will have no choice.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001293:Attitude to Death; D002961:Civil Rights; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D006801:Humans; D008017:Life Expectancy; D010559:Personnel Management; D012179:Retirement; D014481:United States