The Duty To Accommodate Disabilities In The Workplace: A Step-By-Step Guide

The duty to accommodate a disability may feel like a burden to some employers. It prevents them from applying a one-size-fits-all approach to employees and the workplace. However, with a better understanding of the duty and a framework for approaching accommodation requests, employers may find the process clearer, more predictable, and far less burdensome than anticipated.

What is an employer's duty to accommodate an employee's disability?

Employers have a duty "to accommodate the needs of people with disabilities who are adversely affected by a requirement, rule or standard" in the workplace.¹ This duty requires employers to adjust a role, policy, or workspace if doing so will permit the employee to work despite a disability. Common accommodations include time off from work due to a serious illness, restricted physical duties after an injury, a temporary role during a mental health episode, or access to a certain office chair or other equipment due to a chronic pain issue.