Some workers have physical and mental disabilities, but that doesn’t mean they are not a great asset to companies. The advantages of a diverse workforce have been shown in multiple authoritative studies.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires all employers to provide reasonable accommodations to workers with disabilities. Reasonable accommodations are workplace adjustments that do not cause undue financial hardship to the business.
Let’s look at three of the most common disability accommodations.
Flexible work schedules
Rigid hours can be difficult for someone with a disability. To accommodate this, employers can adjust starting times and finishing times. Hybrid or remote working options may also be a feasible alternative for all parties. Flexible work schedules can have the benefit of improving the employee’s well-being while simultaneously increasing the productivity of the business.
Using technology
Assistive technology can make the workplace more accessible. For example, screen readers can help employees with visual disabilities. Using voice-to-text software can also be very helpful, and this type of software is usually not very expensive.
Physical modifications
Employers should also consider reasonable accommodation requests in terms of physical modifications to the workplace. For example, installing ramps can give greater access to physically disabled workers. Making sure that bathrooms are also accessible is very important. The physical environment in a workplace should be supportive and it should not unnecessarily exclude those with disabilities.
Reasonable accommodations are both a legal requirement and an opportunity to promote an inclusive workplace. The only justification for an employer refusing reasonable accommodations requests is if they would cause undue financial hardship. To find out more about your rights as an employee, consider seeking legal guidance.
