One of my employees just asked for an accommodation because of a disability. What should I do?
It could feel daunting to face an accommodation request. You may wonder where to start. What even is an accommodation? What is reasonable? How do you get the accommodation? How much will it cost?
As defined by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), a “Reasonable accommodation is a change in the work environment or in the application process that would enable a person with a disability to enjoy equal employment opportunities.” The three general categories of reasonable accommodations include:
- changes to a job application process to permit people with disabilities to be considered for jobs;
- changes to enable people with disabilities to perform the essential functions of a job; and
- changes to give people with disabilities equal access to the benefits and privileges of employment.
The first step to determine what accommodation is needed is to simply ask your employee. Since they live with their disability, they have the best understanding of how it affects them and their work. In some cases, especially if they have experienced changes or if their disability is new, you could benefit from consulting with experts.
The word ‘reasonable’ can also stump some people. Who decides what is reasonable… me, you? Again, this is an interactive process with your employee. Building an elevator in a historic building might not be reasonable, but what about getting an automatic stapler for someone with arthritis? Of course! There is a huge spectrum when it comes to accommodation requests, and it is important to work through the process together to balance cost and effectiveness.
Most accommodations cost very little, often nothing at all, and in many cases, there are resources to help cover the cost.
Accommodations could be helpful for everyone, whether they have a disability or not. Think about those push-button door openers. How many times have you been juggling too many things and used them? Or the sidewalk ramps: Originally designed for people who use wheelchairs, they help anyone pushing a stroller or luggage.
Since technology is a big part of our daily personal and work lives, assistive technology tends to be an important accommodation. Assistive technology can be anything from Smartphones with accessibility features like voice control or screen magnifiers, closed‑captioning on TV or streaming services, smart home devices (like Alexa or Google Home) that respond to voice commands or keyboard shortcuts or ergonomic keyboards/mice.
Minnesota Vocational Rehabilitation Services (VRS) and State Services for the Blind (SSB) can connect you with resources. From experts who can assess a workplace or advice on assistive technology to training, information and funding, VRS and SSB are your trusted partners for providing reasonable accommodations to support your hiring and retention needs.
Join us in celebrating National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM) by learning about resources to hire people with disabilities:
- The Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Employer Reasonable Accommodation Fund (ERAF) creates a central fund where small to mid-sized Minnesota employers can request reimbursement for expenses related to providing reasonable accommodations for job applicants and employees with disabilities. The ERAF's purpose is to encourage employment of people with disabilities by reducing any perceived or real financial barriers.
- Learn how to recognize and implement a request for reasonable accommodations on module 2 of Disability Inclusion Bite Sized Learning.
- The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations so that an employee with a disability can do their job. A comprehensive guidance for this law can be found on the EEOC website.
- Disability Accommodations Tips from the EEOC.
- Visit AskJan.org, the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) website for all kinds of resources and information on job accommodations.
- The Minnesota STAR (System of Technology to Achieve Results) is a statewide, federally funded assistive technology program that helps Minnesotans with disabilities access, borrow, and learn about assistive technology devices
