Phoenix residents with disabilities have the right to work for an employer as long as they are qualified for the position. Unfortunately, there are some employers who refuse to hire qualified job candidates with disabilities. Other employers purposely fail to provide reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities to avoid hiring them. Both of these are examples of employment discrimination and you should contact an experienced Phoenix reasonable accommodation lawyer to discuss your case.

What Is Considered a Reasonable Accommodation?

A reasonable accommodation is a modification to a job that enables a qualified applicant or employee with a disability to perform the essential duties of that job. The job modification may take the form of an adjusted onboarding process, changes to the physical work environment, or flexible procedures or schedules that enable the employee to fulfill their role.

An accommodation is usually considered reasonable as long as it does not create a significant burden or expense for an employer. The goal of reasonable accommodation is to allow qualified employees and applicants to gain employment and complete the essential functions of their position, despite their disability.

Examples of Reasonable Accommodations

The majority of reasonable accommodation requests are made by employees who have a physical or mental disability. Reasonable accommodation based on sincerely held religious beliefs should be a separate page as it is distinct and separate from reasonable accommodation based on disability. Here are some examples of reasonable accommodations for individuals with qualified disabilities:

• Adjustment of a workspace to allow the employee to access and complete work if they have a mobility or other disability.
• Granting permission to wear noise-canceling headphones to a person with ADHD so they can remain focused on work
• A flexible schedule that enables the employee to go to required medical appointments
• Investing in Braille keyboards or special software that enable people with visual and auditory disabilities to work
• Modification of one or more parking spaces to provide easy access for a wheelchair-accessible van

A Phoenix Reasonable Accommodation Lawyer can help with Your Requests

Types of Reasonable Accommodation

Reasonable accommodations that are granted to people with disabilities can be classified into four types:

• Physical accommodations: Changes that are made to the physical environment, such as lowering desks, installing ramps, and widening doorways
• Communication accommodations: Modifications that allow for ease of communications, such as providing a sign language interpreter, printing in Braille, and providing headsets
• Technological accommodations: Adjustments to technology that facilitate the employee’s ability to work, such as installing screen-reading software and allowing for video conferencing
• Policy accommodations: Adapting work policies, such as allowing for an employee to bring a support or assistance animal to work, granting flexible schedules, and providing breaks for religious observances

Who Is Classified as Having a Disability?

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) exists to prevent an employer from discriminating against a current or prospective employee with a disability. A person is considered to have a disability if they have a physical or mental impairment that significantly limits one or more major life functions. An employee with a history of physical or mental impairment may also be classified as disabled. A disability may limit a person in the following ways:

• Seeing or hearing
• Walking
• Lifting
• Reading
• Learning
• Concentrating
• Interacting with others

While many disabilities are readily apparent, others may not be obvious to an employer. If this is the case, the employer may request documentation from a qualified healthcare professional to confirm the need for reasonable accommodation.