Pandemic Spike in Anxiety, Stress Prompts Office-Return Suits

Social worker Dolores Loftus performed her job remotely for six months as Covid-19 surged before her bosses at a Florida school district told her to return to face-to-face contact.

Loftus had been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, generalized anxiety, and agoraphobia—the fear of confined spaces and crowds. She said in-person work would exacerbate her conditions and asked her managers for continued remote work. She sued in a Florida federal court when her request was denied.

In California, web marketing manager Jonathan Pantani also sued his former employer, Instapage Inc., which allegedly fired him after he had an anxiety attack related ...