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The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a major piece of federal civil rights legislation that helps people with disabilities have the opportunity to make valuable contributions at work. You may be aware that the ADA prohibits workplace discrimination against employees with disabilities. But another, equally important provision of the ADA requires businesses that employ at least 15 people to provide reasonable accommodations to disabled employees so that they can perform the essential functions of their jobs.

If you’re struggling to complete your job duties without assistance, you may be entitled to a reasonable accommodation from your employer as long as the accommodation isn’t going to pose too large of a burden (an “undue hardship”) on the employer. Before requesting an accommodation, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with basic aspects of the ADA so that you can effectively assert your rights and get a workplace adjustment that meets your needs.

In This Article

Who Qualifies for a Reasonable Accommodation?

Under the ADA, “qualified individuals with disabilities” are entitled to reasonable accommodations at work. (42 U.S.C. §§12101-12112 (2026).) Qualified individuals are people who can perform the essential functions of the employment position that they hold (or are seeking to hold). Disabilities are medical impairments, physical or mental, that substantially limit one or more “major life activities.”

Major life activities cover a wide variety of functions, like the ability to walk, talk, see, hear, breathe, and think. “Unseen” or “episodic” impairments, like abnormal cell growth, organ dysfunction, or diseases in remission (cancer, for example) can also be considered disabilities under this standard. Even substance abuse disorders can fall under the category of “disability” according to the ADA, so an employee who is recovering from an opioid addiction may qualify for an accommodation in order to attend treatment at a methadone clinic. (Current, active illegal drug use is not covered by the ADA, however.)

What's a Reasonable Accommodation?

Reasonable accommodations are changes to a position or work environment that enable disabled employees to perform their jobs. (42 U.S.C. § 12111(9)(2026).) There are many types of adjustments that can be considered as a reasonable accommodation. Some examples may include the following:

  • Making existing facilities usable by disabled employees (modifying the height of desks and equipment, installing computer screen magnifiers, or installing telecommunications for the deaf).
  • Restructuring job schedules (allowing an employee to work a 10-hour day four days a week rather than an 8-hour day five days a week).
  • Modifying exams and training material (giving an employee more time for taking a test or arranging for an oral, rather than written, exam).
  • Offering a reasonable amount of additional unpaid leave for medical treatment.
  • Hiring readers or interpreters to assist an employee.
  • Providing temporary workplace specialists to assist in training.
  • Transferring an employee to the same job in another location so that they’re closer to their medical providers.

These are just a few possible accommodations. The possibilities are limited only by an employee’s and employer’s imaginations, so long as they don’t impose an undue hardship on the employer.

The Undue Hardship Exception

The ADA doesn’t require employers to make accommodations that would cause them a significant burden to implement. (42 U.S.C. § 12111(10) (2026).) This is known as the “undue hardship” exception. An employer can deny a particular accommodation if it would be too costly, extensive, or disruptive to adopt in that workplace.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is the federal agency responsible for enforcing the ADA. According to the EEOC, some factors that can determine whether a particular accommodation presents an undue hardship include:

  • the cost of the accommodation
  • the size and financial resources of the employer (a multinational corporation can be reasonably expected to spend more on accommodations than a “mom and pop shop”)
  • the structure of the business, and
  • the effect the accommodation would have on the business.

Showing that an accommodation is an undue hardship is difficult for employers to do successfully. Financial difficulty can play a role, but it’s not always dispositive. For example, if the employee requests a new annex on the office building, the cost of which would eat up a year’s worth of profits, it will probably be considered an undue hardship. But if the business can take tax deductions for the workplace changes and the disabled employee is willing to chip in to pay for part of the cost, the accommodation may be considered acceptable.

How Do I Request a Reasonable Accommodation?

Employers aren’t obligated to anticipate an employee’s desire for a reasonable accommodation, so if you need a workplace adjustment, you’ll need to ask for it. (For more information, see our article on requesting a reasonable accommodation.) Once your employer is notified of your request, under the ADA, they’re required to engage with you in a “flexible interactive process” in order to figure out what kinds of accommodations might be effective and practical. (29 C.F.R. § 1630.2(o)(3) (2026).)

You and your employer may have different opinions about what constitutes a reasonable accommodation. The employer doesn’t have to give you the precise accommodation you’re asking for, but you must work together to come up with a reasonable solution. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when discussing accommodations:

  • Analyze the job you want and isolate its essential functions.
  • Write down precisely what job-related limitations your condition imposes and note how they can be overcome by accommodations.
  • Identify potential accommodations and assess how effective each would be in allowing you to perform the job.
  • Estimate how long each accommodation could be used before a change would be required.
  • Document all aspects of the accommodation, including cost and availability.

Accommodations are often less costly than employers anticipate. The solution for an employee with an eye disorder that causes fatigue when looking at a computer too long could simply involve purchasing an antiglare screen for $50. Or, a worker with ADHD may be moved to an unoccupied space to use a quiet, distractionless environment for free. (According to the Department of Labor, 58% of accommodations don’t cost anything at all.)

Creativity is key, so don’t be afraid to brainstorm ideas. For example, an actress with a disability that requires her to use a wheelchair might ask the show’s producer to incorporate ramps into the set design in a way that allows her to get around the stage more easily.

What If My Employer Won’t Give Me a Reasonable Accommodation?

Ideally, the flexible, interactive process will work as intended, with you and your employer arriving at a reasonable accommodation that makes sense for everyone. Unfortunately, not all accommodation requests go smoothly. If you think that your employer didn’t engage in good faith during the interactive accommodation process or outright refused to comply with the dialogue, consider contacting an experienced employment law attorney to help you assert your ADA rights.