[Chum Bucket]

i'm starting a cafe job this summer. it's in 7 hour shifts. perhaps four months ago, my dog had trouble in down-stays and would whine after about a half hour in boredom. recently, i have been taking out with me to libraries and cafes for two hour intervals, and he is fine to sleep it off. he has not whined in months. i am hesitant to make the jump from two-three hours to seven, and i wanted to know if anyone else went through a similar transition and has advice. my feeling is that i should wait a few more months until his second birthday before attempting such a long interval.

 

[Maggie'sVoice]

I'm not sure I understand. You want to take a Golden to work, a public place with new people, and expect him to do a down and stay for 7 hours? It sounds like you have been taking your dog to cafe's and sit at a table with him? That is totally different as you're there with him. Are you thinking of putting your dog in a down/stay and expect him to stay while you run around and wait tables? where will the Golden be? Behind a counter? in the backroom? Out where he can see people and people can pet him if they walk by?

 

[fourlakes]

I’m curious to know in what ways your service dog assists you. That would help to determine if it was necessary for him to be at your job with you. If it is not necessary for him to be there I would say he should stay home.

 

[Maggie'sVoice]

Another question comes to mind with what @fourlakes asked. If he's not with you while you work, there shouldn't be a reason to be at work I assume (we know how assuming working lol). If he is with you the whole time then it shouldn't be any real difference then what you you have been doing with him already. If he's with you then he's working he should be able to do what he's been trained to do so far.

 

[JLC44]

First thing you would need to do is find out if you are allowed to take your service dog to work. Employment is not covered under Titles II or III of the ADA so forget about the 2 questions and all the other things most people think of when it comes to service animals and the ADA. Employment under Title I of the ADA does not define service animals, or ESAs, none of it. It is all about reasonable accommodations and an interactive process between employer and employee to determine what is reasonable.



The most recent case was the trucking company that did not allow an ESA and was sued by the EEOC and settled. The best resource is JAN, the Job Accommodation Network. JAN is funded by a contract from the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP).


Here is the JAN guidance on service animals in the workplace. Hope it helps. https://askjan.org/topics/servanim.cfm