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Your Legal Rights - Workplace Accommodations

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) makes it unlawful for an individual with a disability to be discriminated against on the job. 

What does this mean?

  • Tip

    For more information on your rights and ADA, please visit: www.ada.gov.  From there, you can click on “Employment” for more information about your workplace rights.
    An employer must treat you equally as an employee, despite your disability.  This means that you cannot be underpaid because you have a disability, fired because you have a disability, or denied promotions because you have a disability. 
  • However, you must be able to perform the tasks required of the job with or without reasonable accommodations.
  • An accommodation is a change in the work environment or in the way things are usually done to help someone with a disability perform their job duties.  In other words, accommodations are strategies that help you do your job to the best of your ability. 
  • Under ADA, an employer is required to provide accommodations to employees with disabilities, unless it would cause undue hardship to the company.   If the accommodation causes undue hardship to the company, then the accommodation is not considered “reasonable.”
  • “Undue hardship” means that it would be very difficult for the employer to make those accommodations because it would cause significant financial strain for the company $$$ or, it would significantly disrupt the operation or nature of the business.

The following examples would usually be considered reasonable workplace accommodations:

Reasonable accommodation:

Specific examples:

Making work areas easier to access
  • Wheel chair ramps
  • Elevators
  • Parking spaces designated for people with handicaps
  • Wider bathroom stalls for wheelchair access

Modified work schedule
  • Fewer hours for someone with health issues
  • More frequent breaks

Acquiring or modifying work equipment
  • Changing desk size to fit a wheelchair
  • Hands-free headset for telephone

Changing tests or training materials
  • Written materials in alternative formats such as large print, Braille, or audiotape
  • Modified or shortened length of written documents

Qualified readers or sign language interpreters
  • For individuals with visual or hearing impairments

Other accommodations that may help an individual with a disability such as autism include:
  • Use of visual schedules and/or to do lists
  • Written instructions in addition to or instead of spoken instructions
  • A quiet work area
  • A quiet break area
  • Use of a timer
  • Use of headphones to block out background noise
  • Use of sunglasses to minimize light sensitivity
  • Advanced notice on meeting topics
  • Advanced notice on schedule or routine changes
  • Communicating through email when appropriate rather than face-to-face meetings
  • Breaking down complex tasks into smaller, more manageable parts
  • Visual reminders of workplace rules
  • Bringing an advocate or job coach to performance reviews and job trainings
  • Visual organizational systems or left to right work systems (e.g. clearly labeled “to do” and “done” bins, folders, or boxes)  
  • Low or high tech augmentative communication systems
  • More frequent breaks
  • Training videos and modeling to demonstrate appropriate work and social behaviors
  • Tasks listed from high to lower priority

This list is certainly not complete. There are many other examples of reasonable accommodations. Read more ideas on simple strategies or accommodations to help you at the workplace. 

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Key Points
  • The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) makes it unlawful for an individual with a disability to be discriminated against on the job. 
  • If you have a disability, you must be able to complete the major duties of the job with or without reasonable accommodations.
  • Accommodations are modifications or strategies that help you do your job to the best of your ability. 
  • Under ADA, an employer is required to provide accommodations to employees with disabilities, unless it would cause undue hardship to the company.
  • “Undue hardship” means that it would be very difficult for the employer to provide those accommodations because it would cause significant financial strain for the company, or it would significantly disrupt the operation or nature of the business.

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