ADA accommodation rights tool

General guidance only. ADA accommodation cases depend heavily on specific job functions, medical documentation, and the interactive process record. This tool identifies general rights and process steps - an employment attorney evaluates your specific situation. See our full disclaimer.

ADA accommodation rights screener

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An employment attorney reviews your accommodation request, the employer's response, and whether the interactive process was properly followed. Many accommodation denials involve process failures that create legal exposure for the employer. Free initial consultation in most areas.

What is a reasonable accommodation and who qualifies?

A reasonable accommodation is a change to the work environment or how a job is performed that allows an employee with a disability to perform the essential functions of their job, or to enjoy equal benefits and privileges of employment. The ADA applies to employers with 15 or more employees.

To qualify, you must have a "disability" as the ADA defines it - a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits 1 or more major life activities. This is interpreted broadly following the 2008 ADA Amendments Act, and covers a wide range of conditions including chronic illnesses, mental health conditions, mobility impairments, and many others - even conditions that are episodic or in remission (like epilepsy or cancer) can qualify.

You must also be "qualified" - able to perform the essential functions of the job, with or without the accommodation. If you're dealing with a related discrimination or retaliation issue, check the wrongful termination screener and EEOC claim eligibility tool to understand your broader options.

What does the "interactive process" require from both sides?

Once you request an accommodation, the ADA requires the employer to engage in a good-faith "interactive process" - a dialogue to identify the precise limitation, explore potential accommodations, and determine what's reasonable and effective. This isn't optional; failing to engage in the interactive process can itself be a violation, separate from whether any specific accommodation is ultimately reasonable.

The employer can request medical documentation supporting the need for accommodation (though not necessarily your full diagnosis), but can't demand more information than necessary to establish the disability and the need for accommodation. Employers also can't simply deny a request without exploring alternatives - a flat "no" without discussion is a red flag that the interactive process wasn't followed.

You're not required to accept the employer's first proposed accommodation if it doesn't actually address your limitation, but the employer also isn't required to provide your specific preferred accommodation if an equally effective alternative exists.

What is "undue hardship" and how high is that bar?

An employer can deny an accommodation if it would impose an "undue hardship" - significant difficulty or expense considering the employer's size, financial resources, and the nature of the accommodation. This is a genuinely high bar; general assertions like "it would be inconvenient" or "we've never done that before" don't meet the standard.

Courts look at factors like the actual cost of the accommodation relative to the employer's overall budget, the impact on business operations, and whether the accommodation would fundamentally alter the nature of the business. Large employers face a higher bar than small ones. Employers who deny a request must generally be able to articulate specific facts supporting undue hardship, not just a general objection.

Frequently asked questions

No. You need to provide enough information to establish that you have a covered disability and explain the specific limitation the accommodation would address - but you're not required to disclose your full diagnosis. A doctor's note confirming the functional limitation and recommending a specific accommodation is often sufficient. Employers who demand your complete medical records or specific diagnosis beyond what's needed to evaluate the accommodation request may be overreaching. If an employer's documentation request seems excessive, an attorney can help you understand what's actually required versus what's being improperly demanded.

It depends on whether physical presence is an essential function of your specific job. Courts have increasingly recognized remote work as a viable accommodation, especially post-pandemic when many employers demonstrated jobs could be performed remotely. If your employer has allowed remote work for the same role before (for you or others), that's strong evidence it's not an essential function requiring in-person presence. However, jobs genuinely requiring physical presence - hands-on patient care, equipment operation, in-person customer service - may have a legitimate basis to deny remote work as an accommodation. The key question is whether physical presence is truly essential to the job, not just the employer's preference.

No - retaliation for requesting a reasonable accommodation is illegal under the ADA, even if the accommodation is ultimately denied as unreasonable. If you're terminated, demoted, or otherwise treated adversely shortly after requesting an accommodation, this timing itself is significant evidence of retaliation. This is true regardless of whether your underlying accommodation request succeeds - the right to request an accommodation and engage in the interactive process is protected independent of the outcome. Document the timeline between your request and any adverse action carefully, since proximity in time is one of the strongest indicators courts look for in retaliation claims.

Put your request in writing if you haven't already - email creates a clear record and start date for the interactive process. If the employer doesn't respond within a reasonable time (there's no fixed legal deadline, but unreasonable delay can itself be an ADA violation), follow up in writing and reference your original request date. Continued silence or failure to engage in the interactive process is a red flag - document every communication attempt. If the employer still doesn't respond after reasonable follow-up, this pattern of non-engagement can support a claim even before a final formal denial, since the ADA requires good-faith engagement in the process itself.

Common accommodations include: modified work schedules or flexible start times, remote or hybrid work arrangements, ergonomic equipment (specialized chairs, keyboards, monitor risers), assistive technology (screen readers, voice recognition software), modified break schedules for medical needs, job restructuring to reallocate non-essential tasks, reserved parking close to the entrance, and leave for medical treatment or recovery beyond standard policy. The specific accommodation depends entirely on your individual limitation and job function - there's no one-size-fits-all list, which is exactly why the interactive process exists to identify what actually works for your specific situation.