**The big picture:** A New Jersey jury awarded a teacher over $1.6 million in a case where a school district was found to have retaliated against her for requesting disability accommodations and constructively discharged her. The district failed to properly engage in the interactive process required by law. **Why it matters:** This significant judgment underscores the critical importance for employers to genuinely engage in the interactive process for disability accommodations, rather than treating requests as simple denials. **Between the lines:** - The teacher, Tracey Silverschotz, had significant hearing loss and requested reassignment to a smaller class. - The district denied her request, citing performance concerns, and later placed her in a