Reasonable accommodations are modifications or adjustments made to a job, work environment, or the way a job is done that allows a person with a disability who is qualified for the job to perform the essential functions of that job and enjoy equal employment opportunities. These accommodations can be religious, physical, mental or emotional, academic, or related to employment. Reasonable accommodations are considered “reasonable” if they do not create an undue hardship or a direct threat.
Examples of reasonable accommodations include changing job duties, providing leave for medical care, changing work schedules, relocating the work area, and providing mechanical or electrical aids. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities who are qualified for the job, unless it would cause an undue hardship.
The reasonable accommodation process requires an individualized assessment of both the job and the specific physical or mental limitations of the individual that are directly related to the need for reasonable accommodation. The first step in the reasonable accommodation process is disclosure of a disability, as employers are only required to accommodate disabilities of which they are aware. Employers must initiate an “interactive process” when an applicant or employee requests reasonable accommodations. The employer must also offer to initiate an interactive process when the employer becomes aware of the possible need for an accommodation.
In California, it is unlawful for an employer to fail to engage in a timely, good faith, interactive process. The point of the process is to remove barriers that keep people from performing jobs that they could do with some form of accommodation. The process requires documentation of dates, actions taken, and adjustments made to assure continued success.
