Accommodations

Workplace policies need careful planning for the provision of reasonable accommodations.

Steps to Successful Accommodations

Notify Employees: Employers should have a process for facilitating accommodation requests and take steps to ensure that all employees are aware of and understand it.

Facilitate Requests: If an individual with a disability requires an accommodation, it is his responsibility to inform the employer of the need. Or at least it must be indicated that he has difficulty carrying out the tasks due to a disability.

Analyze Jobs: To facilitate the accommodation process, the employers should develop and maintain a detailed description for each job that lists its essential functions and duties. It should be borne in mind that the descriptions should focus on a job, not a person.

Identify Functional Limitations: The employer and employee should discuss the employee's functional limitations and determine where they intersect with his or her duties.

For example:

Specific tasks for a receptionist's job includes answering and accurately directing phone calls, greeting and checking in visitors, and transcribing and filing documents. The receptionist must use a phone and computer. He or she must be available in the office lobby during regular office hours and be pleasant to callers and visitors.

If the person hired for the position uses a wheelchair and cannot roll his or her wheelchair under the reception desk in the office lobby. Or if he or she has dyslexia and cannot accurately write down phone numbers in messages.

It is important to identify the type of accommodations can be available to allow this otherwise qualified individual to perform the specific tasks.

Determine Potential Accommodations: Sometimes, an employee with a disability is aware of the modifications he or she needs to perform certain tasks. Other times, devising an effective accommodation requires creative and collaborative thinking. Accommodations are not just adjustments to a physical work environment. They may involve changes to the way a job is done or structured, modified workplace policies and procedures, adjusted work schedules or using assistive technology or services such as readers or interpreters.

If a receptionist uses a wheelchair, potential accommodations may include elevating the desk, or putting in an adjustable height counter or remodeling to replace the desk with one that could be used with a wheelchair.

For the worker with dyslexia, potential accommodations may include installing a voice mail system, or creating a color-coded phone directory and accompanying switchboard, or exchanging the job's phone-answering duties for another employee's tasks.

Determine Reasonable Solutions: Providing reasonable accommodations for qualified applicants or employees with disabilities must not cause undue hardship. Undue hardship refers not only to financial difficulty, but also to accommodations that are unduly extensive or disruptive or would fundamentally alter the nature or operation of the business.

When cost is a concern, an employer should explore whether funding is available from an outside source or government agency.

Make the Accommodation: An employer has the final say on which accommodation is implemented, based on factors such as cost, effectiveness and business feasibility. However, accommodations work best when both the employer and employee participate in the process.

Monitor Effectiveness: Not all accommodations produce the desired outcome. If the accommodation is not working, the employer and employee should start the process again.

Accommodation process is enhanced by collaboration. Employers and employees must work together and think creatively. All this may help uncover strategies that lead to a more positive and productive workplace for all employees.