If the company does not have a form, it is good practice to create a written record of the request. Usually, they take the form of “because of X (medical condition or disability), I’m having trouble with Y (job duty).”Įmployers can ask the person who requested an accommodation to follow up with a form to make the request more formal. Initial requests for accommodation do not need to be in writing. What if a test is part of an application or interview? Employers are required to allow extra time or an alternative format, if needed.Įmployers do not have to provide accommodations that would cause an undue hardship, but they should look for an alternative accommodation that is both reasonable and effective for the applicant.
Job functions that are not essential are called marginal functions. The point of a reasonable accommodation is to make it possible for an employee with a disability to carry out one or more essential functions of their job.
#Ada workplace accommodations driver
For example, an essential function of being a school bus driver is driving a bus. An essential function is one that is central to a person’s job.
An employer can always choose to offer any accommodation it wishes, including those that are not considered reasonable.Īnother important aspect of Title I is the idea of an essential function. For example, an employer does not have to reduce uniformly applied production standards. The word “reasonable” in reasonable accommodation means there is a limit to what an employer must do to provide an accommodation.
#Ada workplace accommodations software
For example, a person with a visual impairment might require assistive software in order to “read” email efficiently, or a person with certain medical requirements might need a modified break schedule. The purpose of this change is to make it so the employee can do their work. Reasonable Accommodation BasicsĪn important aspect of Title I of the ADA is the idea of a reasonable accommodation.Īn accommodation is a change in the way that an employee works, or in the equipment supplied to an employee. Employers are required to accommodate only known disabilities.įor a disability to be known, the employee or applicant must disclose their disability to the employer and let them know what they need in order to complete the essential functions of the job. Under Title I of the ADA, and the Rehabilitation Act, employers must provide reasonable accommodation to employees and applicants who are qualified, unless doing so would cause an undue hardship. Many of these rules describe changes that an employer makes with regard to a disability. These rules protect the rights of job applicants and employees. SUMMARY: Rules that stem from Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and from the Rehabilitation Act, concern disability in the workplace. About Reasonable Accommodations in the Workplace