ADA accommodations are changes to the hiring process, a job, the way work gets done, or the work environment that let a qualified person with a disability perform the essential functions of a job. Examples include screen magnification software, feedback given in writing instead of out loud, a reserved parking spot near the entrance, or a quiet desk away from foot traffic. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, employers with 15 or more employees must provide these changes unless one would cause undue hardship. Most cost the employer nothing, and you never have to say “ADA” to ask for one.
What the Americans with Disabilities Act Requires at Work
The ADA is a federal civil rights law. It bans disability discrimination in employment, public services, public accommodations, and telecommunications. Title I of the ADA covers employment. It bans discrimination in hiring, promotion, pay, firing, and every other part of employment, and it requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities.
Title I applies to employers with 15 or more employees, including state and local governments, employment agencies, and labor unions. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) enforces it. Accommodations cover three areas:
- Access to the application process
- Performing the essential functions of the job
- Equal access to employment benefits
Who Is Eligible for ADA Accommodations
Under the ADA, a person has a disability if they meet one of these three conditions:
- They have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.
- They have a record of such an impairment.
- They are regarded as having such an impairment.
The ADA Amendments Act of 2008 made it easier to qualify. It added “major bodily functions,” such as immune, digestive, and circulatory functions, to the list of major life activities. One limit still applies: people covered only under the “regarded as” condition are protected from discrimination but are not entitled to accommodations.
You also have to be qualified for the job. That means you meet its legitimate requirements for skills, experience, and education, and you can do its essential functions with or without an accommodation. Factors that decide which functions are essential include the employer’s judgment, job descriptions written before the job was posted, how much time is spent on the task, and what happens if the task isn’t done.
Examples of Reasonable Accommodations by Need
There is no standard list of solutions. Employers must look at each request individually. Real examples:
| Need | Example accommodation |
|---|---|
| Low vision | Screen magnification software for data entry; for a social worker with vision loss caused by diabetes, JAN recommended stand magnifiers for printed materials and screen magnification software instead of a smaller workload |
| Deaf or hard of hearing | Sign language interpreters or CART (Communication Access Realtime Translation) for trainings and meetings |
| Limited mobility | A reserved parking space near the building; improved accessibility |
| ADHD | Quiet workspace, noise cancellation or white noise, telework, uninterrupted work time, fewer marginal tasks, structured breaks, job coaching |
| Anxiety, depression, PTSD | Room dividers, soundproofing, a flexible schedule for therapy appointments, permission to bring a service animal; for an electrician with severe depression who couldn’t take part in training sessions effectively, CART notes were recommended |
| Intellectual disability | A checklist to help make sure tasks get completed |
| Communicates best in writing | A supervisor gives feedback in writing instead of verbally |
| Can no longer do the current job | Reassignment to a vacant position |
Policy changes count too: one employer changed its “no pets” rule so an employee could bring a service animal. A changed schedule, an adapted test, or adjusted training materials can also qualify.
How to Get ADA Accommodations at Work: Step by Step
A request only has to tell your employer that you need a change at work because of a medical condition. You don’t need to mention the ADA or say “reasonable accommodation,” and someone can ask on your behalf. Compare these two:
- Enough: “I’m having trouble getting to work at my scheduled start time because of medical treatments I’m receiving.”
- Not enough: “I’d like a new chair because mine is uncomfortable.” This doesn’t connect the request to a medical condition.
The EEOC recommends an “interactive process.” This is an informal back-and-forth between you and your employer to find an accommodation that works. It typically goes like this:
- Make the request. You can ask in person or in any other way. The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) suggests putting it in writing. You can choose your words calmly and you get a paper trail. Your employer may ask you to fill out its own form.
- Start the conversation. Describe your limitation and what might help.
- Provide documentation if asked. Your employer can only ask for this when your disability or need isn’t obvious (see the FAQ).
- Explore options and choose one.
- Put it in place.
- Check in regularly. You and your employer keep talking about whether the accommodation works and adjust it if needed.
When an Employer Can Deny an Accommodation Request
An employer can say no to a specific accommodation for two reasons:
- Undue hardship: an action that requires significant difficulty or expense. It is judged case by case against the employer’s size, resources, and structure, so a large company is expected to provide more than a small business.
- Direct threat: a significant risk to the health or safety of others that no reasonable accommodation can remove.
If one accommodation would cause undue hardship, the employer must try to find another effective one that wouldn’t. Reassignment has limits, though. An employer doesn’t have to create a new job, move another employee, or fire someone to make room.
Cost, Privacy and Delays
- Cost: According to JAN, 61% of accommodations cost nothing. About 33% had a one-time cost, with a median of $300. Only 6% had ongoing costs, with a median of $2,400 per year, such as sign language interpreters for meetings.
- Privacy: Your employer can share accommodation information only on a need-to-know basis. It doesn’t go in your personnel file and isn’t shared with coworkers.
- Delays: The EEOC says unnecessary delays in handling an accommodation request can violate the ADA.
Medical Leave and Termination
The ADA doesn’t stop an employer from ever firing an employee with a disability. It does ban firing someone because of their disability or because they asked for an accommodation. Asking for an accommodation is protected activity, and retaliation is illegal. Several leave rules matter here:
- If you have used up your leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), you may still have ADA rights. Extra leave can be a reasonable accommodation.
- “100% healed” policies, which require employees to have no restrictions before returning to work, violate the ADA.
- “No-fault” leave policies that automatically fire employees after a set number of absences also violate the ADA.
What to Do If Your ADA Rights Are Violated
You can file a charge of discrimination with the EEOC through its online Public Portal after an online interview. You don’t need a lawyer to take this first step. The deadlines are strict:
| Step | Time limit |
|---|---|
| File a charge with the EEOC | 180 calendar days from the discrimination |
| File when a state or local law also bans the discrimination (true in most states) | 300 calendar days |
| EEOC notifies your employer | Within 10 days of filing |
| EEOC investigation | Usually up to 180 days; a Notice of Right to Sue can be issued earlier |
| File a lawsuit in federal court after the Notice of Right to Sue | 90 days |
Keep copies of your written request, emails, and notes from every conversation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does ADA stand for?
ADA stands for the Americans with Disabilities Act. It is a federal civil rights law that became law on July 26, 1990. Its employment rules (Title I) took effect in 1992 for employers with 25 or more employees and in 1994 for employers with 15 to 24 employees.
Does my employer need a doctor’s note?
Only if your disability or your need for an accommodation isn’t obvious. If it is obvious, your employer can’t ask for medical documentation. When documentation is allowed, it can come from a doctor, psychologist, nurse, therapist, vocational rehabilitation specialist, or licensed mental health professional.
Where can I get free help figuring out what to ask for?
The Job Accommodation Network is a free, confidential service of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy. It has been advising employers and employees since 1983. Its Situations and Solutions Finder includes more than 700 real accommodation cases that you can search by disability, limitation, or occupation.
What are the requirements for a hotel room for disabled guests?
Under Title III of the ADA, a hotel with 1 to 25 rooms needs at least 1 mobility-accessible room and 2 rooms with communication features for guests with hearing or vision disabilities. A hotel with 51 to 75 rooms needs 4 mobility-accessible rooms, one of them with a roll-in shower, plus 7 rooms with communication features. Doorways must be at least 32 inches wide, accessible bathrooms need a 60-inch turning circle or a T-shaped turning space, and accessible rooms must be spread across room types and price levels.
