According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), “an employer may certainly respond to a question from an employee about why a coworker is receiving what is perceived as ‘different’ or ‘special’ treatment by emphasizing its policy of assisting any employee who encounters difficulties in the workplace.” EEOC goes on to state that an employer “also may find it helpful to point out that many of the workplace issues encountered by employees are personal and that, in these circumstances, it is the employer’s policy to respect employee privacy.” (See Reasonable Accommodation and Undue Hardship under the ADA, question 42.)