If you suffer from a physical or psychological disability, you are guaranteed access to reasonable accommodations in the workplace by the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). This is essential to ensuring people with disabilities are able to maintain gainful employment and make the most of their professional skills. Here are five things you need to know about reasonable accommodations:
- You can get accommodations for both physical and psychological disabilities
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- When people think of reasonable accommodations, they typically think of people with physical disabilities like paraplegia, blindness, or deafness. However, people with significant psychological disabilities such as major depression, ADHD, or schizophrenia can also be entitled to accommodations. It is primarily a question of what they need in order to be able to more effectively do their job.
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- Employers can be required to provide adaptive equipment
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- Among other things, employers can be required to provide adaptive equipment as part of their reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities. This can include special software for people who are blind or deaf to enable communication, or installing a ramp for people with mobility issues. This can make life easier for employees and ensure they can continue to do their job despite issues from their disabilities.
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- Not all reasonable accommodations are costly
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- Some reasonable accommodations may not cost an employer anything at all. For example, someone who struggles with normal work schedules can be accommodated by having their schedules modified so they still get their work done. They may also be given additional breaks to address concerns about overexertion, or have their job duties modified where appropriate.
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- Requests for reasonable accommodations are not limitless
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- That being said, an employer is only required to grant accommodations that are considered reasonable. Any requests for accommodations that are overly expensive or onerous do not need to be provided. By the same token, an employee must still be able to accomplish the basic tasks associated with their jobs.
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- You can take legal action for failure to provide reasonable accommodations
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- If you are an employee who was denied access to reasonable accommodations, you should speak to a lawyer to explore your legal options. A lawyer with experience handling employment law issues can help you to ensure you get the resolution to your case that you deserve. The sooner you call, the sooner they can get to work for you.
Steven Mitchell Sack, the Employee’s Lawyer, is a New York employment lawyer with more than 44 years’ experience handling the many aspects of employment law. His new book, “Fired!: Protect Your Rights & FIGHT BACK If You’re Terminated, Laid Off, Downsized, Restructured, Forced to Resign or Quit,” is available in hardback, and contains valuable advice on dealing with employment and labor law issues. To purchase the book, feel free to contact Steven Sack at 917-371-8000 or visit the website at legalstratpub.com. To inquire about a legal matter, please feel free to contact attorney Steven Sack at 917-371-8000 or stevensackatty@hotmail.com.
