Employment Law Information

Reasonable Accommodation for Disabled Employees

By Karen Whitehurst

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that employers provide reasonable accommodations to qualified employees who have a disability, as long as the accommodations do not put an undue hardship on the employer. This law ensures that qualified applicants and employees have fair access to employment opportunities. The reasoning behind the Act is that many people with disabilities are completely qualified for certain positions but may face additional hardships due to customary work environments. Typically, these obstacles can be easily accommodated with the assistance of an employer.

Providing Reasonable Accommodations

Qualified applicants or employees with disabilities may need a few changes to a work environment, work schedule, or job duties to enjoy equal access to employment. Ways that employers can make their work environments accessible to a qualified employee or applicant with a physical or mental disability include:

• Adjusting the job application process so that a qualified applicant is able to apply
• Rearranging the physical work environment
• Modifying work hours or other work circumstances

For example, a physically-disabled person may need to rely on public transportation and therefore an employer may allow an adjustment in work hours. Or, an employer may rearrange furniture or provide more accessible equipment to help an employee complete his or her duties.

Some accommodations may be more extensive than others, but the law requires that employers provide these modifications as long as they are feasible and do not place an undue hardship on the employer. Unfortunately, some employers still fail to comply with this law, and therefore some people with disabilities still face discrimination in the workplace or when applying for jobs.

To learn more about discrimination in the workplace, visit the website of the Austin disability discrimination attorneys of Melton & Kumler, LLP.

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