Federal employment law known as the American with Disabilities Act, or ADA, requires Washington, D.C., employers to make reasonable accommodations for disabled employees. This requirement raises a legitimate question for a business: What is deemed reasonable accommodation for a disabled worker?
Reasonable accommodation defined
According the applicable U.S. employment laws, including the ADA, reasonable accommodation is defined as a change of alteration in a workplace or workplace system implemented as a means of providing equal opportunity for an individual with some type of disability. Common examples include providing modified furniture in a workspace or making sure hard-of-hearing employees have transcription services for meetings.
Not every accommodation must be made
When it comes to reasonable accommodation, an employer does not have to do everything imaginable to make the workplace fully accessible to an individual with a disability. An employer does not have to endure what often is called an “undue hardship” in order to make a workplace fully accessible to a disabled employee.
Accommodations for physical and mental health disabilities
Reasonable accommodations apply to employees with physical as well as mental health disabilities. There are certain types of mental health issues and conditions that fall under the province of accommodation pursuant to the ADA. For a person with a mental health issue, making a workplace more accessible can include not only physical alterations but steps like a modified work schedule.
If you believe that your employer has failed to make a reasonable workplace accommodation for you, a claim pursuant to the ADA may be available to you. An employment law attorney may assist you in ascertaining whether you have an ADA claim based on the actions or inaction of your employer.