Reasonable accommodation is a concept under the umbrella of employment laws that requires employers to make certain adjustments in the workplace to enable individuals with disabilities to perform their job duties. It is also applicable to individuals who identify as members of a religious or cultural group or gender or sexual orientation.
Reasonable accommodation does not require employers to make exceptions that fundamentally alter the nature of the job or that would cause an unreasonable hardship on the employer [such as incurring expenses that are prohibitively expensive]. Rather, it’s meant to ensure that potential or existing employees are evaluated fairly and given every opportunity to perform their jobs to the best of their abilities.
The Definition of Reasonable Accommodation
The federal government defines a reasonable accommodation as an adjustment to the workplace that enables a qualified individual with a disability to perform the essential functions of the job. Common examples include:
- Providing accessible furniture like ergonomic desks
- Contacting applicants and employees with hearing or speech impairments to engage them in the hiring or employment process
- Modifying office space to accommodate an employee who is in a wheelchair
- Allowing an employee to take leave for religious holidays
- Providing a flexible schedule for employees to address family or medical needs
Keep in mind that these are simply examples and adjustments must be tailored to the individual needs of any employee. Employers should create a formal process of engaging and responding to accommodations requests and should communicate this as part of an organization’s operations.
When an employer receives an accommodation request, they should evaluate it by considering any potential hardships or costs that would result from the request and how it would affect the business. If costs or hardships are found to be prohibitive, employers should explore whether there are other reasonable accommodations that would produce a similar benefit for the worker without compromising the business goals.
Concluding Thoughts
Reasonable accommodation is an important concept for employers to understand and implement. It serves to protect people from discriminatory hiring and employment practices and provides individuals with disabilities and members of certain religious and cultural groups the opportunity to pursue meaningful career paths. As employers, it is our duty to ensure that we create an environment in which everyone is able to succeed.