The benefits of a diverse workforce have been well-documented. In the U.S., disabled workers have a host of legal protections. For example, they can request reasonable accommodations. These are reasonable measures that an employee must take (unless they would cause undue financial hardship) to allow the disabled worker to perform their job more effectively.
Here are some of the most common examples of reasonable accommodations.
Increased physical accessibility
For people with physical disabilities, accessibility is important. This is a form of reasonable accommodation. One example may be to request a little more space at a workstation. This is not a major request and is unlikely to result in undue financial hardship for an employer.
Sometimes, a workplace may need more significant adjustments. For instance, an employee may request automatic doors and ramps to improve physical accessibility. The employer must take such requests seriously if they do not cause undue financial hardship.
Changes in work schedules
In recent years, there has been a shift toward remote and hybrid working. This has helped certain roles become much more accessible to people with disabilities. If a company does not offer remote working, then a disabled employee may request more flexibility. Again, as long as the change would not result in undue financial hardship, it is something that the employer must consider.
A disabled worker may also need certain times off to attend medical appointments. This may involve starting earlier or working a little later on set days. Such requests generally fall under the category of reasonable accommodations.
As a disabled worker, you have a host of legal rights. If you need to assert these, seeking legal guidance can help.
