Reasonable Accommodation in the Workplace

Employees who are suffering with physical or mental disabilities are legally entitled to reasonable accommodations in the workplace. A reasonable accommodation is an adjustment or modification that permits the individual to still perform the necessary job functions despite special physical or mental needs. In order to qualify for a reasonable accommodation, the employee or candidate must meet all requirements of the position (education, skills, experience, etc.) and be able to perform the duties required.

Written Communication

If you have an employee who is hard of hearing, it becomes difficult to give verbal feedback or direction. In this case, a reasonable accommodation would be to provide all communication in written form to make sure the employee fully understands the expectations.

Visual Impairment

A staff member who struggles with vision problems might have a hard time viewing things on a computer screen or text printed in small type. As a manager, you can provide an accommodation to this person by offering a larger screen with magnification capabilities or printing all written items in larger fonts to make them easier to read.

Schedule Changes

Some health conditions are particularly bad at certain times of the day. For example, an employee who suffers from arthritis might have worse pain upon waking up in the morning. A reasonable accommodation for this type of disability might be providing a schedule change to allow the employee to come in later. A staff member who is undergoing treatment for an ongoing chronic condition might need to work around doctor's appointments or periodic time off, which will require some accommodation.

Reassignment

If you have made a number of attempts to accommodate an employee but the job isn't getting done, the final option is reassignment. If the staff member in question is no longer able to perform the essential functions and duties of the job, the supervisor can then transfer him or her to a vacant position within the organization. That employee must meet all requirements and qualifications for the new job. Employers do not have to create a new position for the employee or displace another staff member.

Limitations to Reasonable Accommodation

There are also two limitations that employers have under the reasonable accommodation law. First, if the employee is causing undue hardship to the organization, whether through disruptions or unreasonable expenses for accommodation, the employer does not have to oblige. Second, if there is a direct threat to or risk of the safety of the employee that is not reduced by a reasonable accommodation, the employer can legally select another candidate for the position. An example of this might be an open position that requires a lot of physical labour, such as with a moving company, and an applicant who is unable to lift due to a physical disability.

Employees and candidates who struggle with disabilities can still become valuable team members who contribute a great deal to a team. With some simple accommodations, you can bring on staff members who are able to thrive and build positive relationships with supervisors and coworkers regardless of their difficult personal situations.