According to federal law, if you suffer from a disability, you deserve reasonable accommodation in your workplace. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 ensures that your employer must offer ways to modify your daily position to provide the best workplace environment if you face disability.
If your employer does not meet the required accommodations that the ADA outlines, your employer could face serious allegations and convictions. If you believe you require reasonable changes in your day-to-day job experience to perform your duties but your employer does not offer these changes, you may wish to speak with a knowledgeable employment law attorney to help you receive your accommodations and rightful compensation if necessary.
Reasonable accommodations according to the EEOC
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) gives required principles when analyzing and providing grounds for reasonable accommodation.
Three categories exist for providing reasonable accommodation. These include modifications to:
- A job application process to easily apply for a position you qualify for
- A work environment to perform your essential job functions
- Any practices that enable you to experience all employment benefits
Whether you work part-time or full-time, disabled employees have equal rights to adjustments in work to perform their duties.
“Reasonable”, according to the EEOC means feasible or plausible. Looking at job responsibilities and performance, an employer will determine exact accommodations it can provide for equal benefits of individual disabled workers. However, the EEOC determines that an employer may not need to supply reasonable accommodation if it causes undue hardship to the business in expenses or resources.
Adjustments made for those with disabilities
Because disabilities are recognized as ailments or conditions that fall under anti-discrimination policies, employers must provide ways to remedy disabled workers’ difficulties.
Examples of reasonable accommodations, according to the United States Department of Labor, include:
- Restructuring a position to change daily tasks
- Modifying work schedules to give longer breaks
- Adjusting equipment like installing wheelchair accessibilities or standing desks
- Changing testing procedures or policies to accommodate those with eyesight issues
- Providing interpreters to employees who are not fluent in a specific language
- Changing the office environment to allow a service animal
Employers should recognize those facing temporary or permanent disability as valuable members of an employment team. Under federal law, you should receive reasonable accommodation for your disability in the workplace, and if you do not, you want to consult an attorney to begin the process of receiving accurate compensation.
