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ABA Family Legal Guide

Law and the Workplace

The Hiring Process

How does an employer know if an applicant or employee needs a "reasonable accommodation" to be able to perform the essential functions of the job?

The applicant or employee should inform the employer of the need for an accommodation. The ADA does not require the employer to provide an accommodation if it is unaware of the need for one.

Also, the employer may ask for documentation of the need for an accommodation when the disability is not an obvious one.

Side Bar - Examples of Reasonable Accommodations

The following are examples of the actions an employer may be required to take to provide a reasonable accommodation:

  • Making existing facilities readily accessible


  • Restructuring the job


  • Modifying work schedules or making a job part-time


  • Modifying equipment


  • Providing readers or interpreters


Employers are not required to provide equipment or devices primarily for personal use, such as corrective glasses, hearing aids, or wheelchairs. Whether a particular employer is required to provide a specific accommodation will depend on whether providing it will cause undue hardship.

American Bar Association Family Legal Guide
Copyright © 2004 American Bar Association
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