Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, schools and employers are required to give disabled students and employees “reasonable accommodations” to enable disabled individuals to have an equal opportunity to participate in an academic program, hiring, training, promotions, pay, and social activities.  “Reasonable accommodations” are accommodations that do not impose an undue hardship on the institution providing them. Other places that are required by law to give reasonable accommodations are businesses that serve the public like restaurants, hotels, shops, and movie theaters; housing providers under the Fair Housing Act; and state and local government facilities.

For schools, to receive accommodations, one must make the school aware of the disability through either the disability resource center or school administrator. It is recommended to put the request in writing whether it is required or not. A typical request letter should include: medical documentation of the disability clear wording that you are requesting accommodations, identify specific disability related needs, and recommend useful, reasonable accommodations. Your doctor will typically also have to fill out a request form and can request specific accommodations based off of their assessment of your function.

Examples of reasonable accommodations:

  • modified classroom seating
  • assistance with note taking
  • extended time for test taking
  • lecture recording
  • ramps/automatic doors
  • audio-visual aids
  • assignment extension assistance
  • attendance assistance

Employers are also required to give these accommodations if there are 15 or more employees in the business. They are not allowed to discriminate against disabilities in the hiring process or during the length of your employment. To request accommodations at work, you will typically have to reach out to the HR department or your supervisors if there is no HR department.

Some workplace accommodations listed on US Department of Labor website include:

  • Installing a ramp or modifying a rest room
  • Providing screen reader software
  • Using videophones to facilitate communications with colleagues who are deaf
  • Modifying the layout of a workspace
  • Ensuring computer software is accessible
  • Providing sign language interpreters or closed captioning at meetings and events
  • Making materials available in Braille or large print
  • Modifying a policy to allow a service animal in a business setting
  • Adjusting work schedules so employees with chronic medical conditions can go to medical appointments and complete their work at alternate times or locations

Always, always, always get your accommodations and accommodation requests in writing!!!

I have made the mistake of just trusting my manager at her word saying that I could have accommodations at work and it came back to bite me later. I had let everyone I work with know about my POTS diagnosis and what all it entails when I first started my job, but around a year and a half later I was told that the entirety of the corporate team was quote “gossiping about me like high schoolers” everyday because I sat down every once in a while to prevent passing out and that was bad for optics, and I was no longer allowed to sit down in my workspace. I was told I had to walk all the way to the back of the building, on concrete floors, whenever I was feeling like I might pass out. That “solution” was terrifying to me as there was a very high chance of me passing out before I got to the back and cracking my head open or getting another concussion from hitting the concrete floors. I had to beg at least 4 times to get a meeting with HR and was met with fearmongering from the head of my department, which should never ever happen. Once I finally got the meeting, all I was given was forms for me and my doctor to fill out and was told we would have another meeting once they were completed. That meeting never happened. Now I still live in fear every shift that my accommodations will not be honored or that corporate will continue to gossip about me for being disabled. If I had gotten my accommodations in writing at the start of my employment, at least some of this nonsense and fear would not have happened. Please don’t be like me and get your accommodations in official writing because ableist people are everywhere even if they don’t classify themselves as such.

 

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