Employers have to be sure that they are in compliance with various laws as they go about their normal work activities. One of the things they need to do is to ensure that they are providing reasonable accommodations to workers who have disabilities. The standard for this is set forth by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), but the terms of the accommodations vary from one situation to another.
In order to be a reasonable accommodation, it can’t place any undue hardship on the business. This means that it can’t cost a large sum in relation to the business’ income. It also can’t create a direct threat to the business.
The person who is requesting an accommodation must meet the criteria for being disabled. This means that they have some mental or physical issue that significantly limits their ability to do at least one major life activity. It can be hard to gauge who has a true disability.
Employers do have the right to ask for documentation from a medical care provider to prove that the person does need the accommodation. The accommodations that are provided should help the person to do essential functions of the job.
As an employer, you should think about how the accommodations can benefit your company. Typically, it is in your best interest to provide these accommodations to help your employee. Just remember that only companies who have at least 15 employees are required to comply with this under federal law.
If you have a claim made against your company that claims you didn’t provide those accommodations, be sure that you address the issue quickly. This might help to protect your company in the future.