How to Request Medical Accommodations at Work

If you are an employee with a disability covered under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), then there may be a need for you to request medical accommodations at your place of employment. The ADA provides legal protections for individuals who have mental or physical disabilities, and one of these protections is the right to be free from discrimination or harassment in the workplace. 

Individuals have the right to receive reasonable accommodations for disabilities at work, and state law also provides similar protections. Here, we want to review how to request these reasonable accommodations to help ease your life in the workplace.

Appropriate Medical Accommodations Should Be Honored

When we examine information from the Nevada Department of Administration Human Resource Management, we can see that an accommodation is defined as “any change in the work environment or policy and procedure that enables an individual with a disability to have Equal Employment opportunities.”

The typical workplace setting may not be conducive to the success of a worker who has a disability. Instead, there may need to be some environmental changes or some acceptance made so they can perform their duties. The law allows employees with disabilities to request that their employer make certain accommodations. Some of these accommodations can include:

• Making the workplace more usable or accessible
• Obtaining technology to help a person with disabilities, including screen magnifiers or telecom devices for deaf individuals
• Providing extra training if necessary
• Deviating from standard scheduling procedures to allow for medical treatments 

Individuals have the right to request accommodations if the following circumstances are true:

1. They qualify for a disability defined under the ADA.
2. They have the experience, ability, education, and skill to perform the essential functions of the occupation.
3. The accommodation does not cause undue hardship to the employer.

Unfortunately, the “undue hardship” aspect of this process is where most disputes arise revolving around workplace accommodations for disabled individuals. Many employers will simply claim that making an accommodation is too disruptive or costly and, thus, deny the request.

If you are an individual with a disability and need to seek a workplace accommodation, we encourage you to reach out to the human resources department of your company or agency. Every employer will be aware of the steps required concerning accommodations for individuals with disabilities. It is in your best interest to make your request for an accommodation formally in writing, and your accommodation request should have specifics related to your exact disability and the accommodations you are requesting. Information from your doctor about your medical needs and the benefits of the accommodations can also be included in your request. 

Typically, a request for an accommodation can be made at any time during a person’s employment. If you have any questions about who to ask about accommodations, we encourage you to speak to your direct supervisor.

Individuals asking for accommodations under the ADA are protected by law. Employers are not allowed to deny requests for accommodations unless they can prove that the accommodation would cause an undue hardship, and the employer is not allowed to retaliate against an employee for making such requests. Doing so would be unlawful, and individuals may be able to recover compensation if they are denied their request.

Do You Need an Attorney?

If you are struggling to receive your medical accommodations at work, you may need to reach out to an attorney for legal assistance. If your accommodation is related to a work injury, our Las Vegas workers’ compensation attorneys can help you. When an attorney gets involved in your case, they can examine the facts and more thoroughly investigate the incident to determine the best steps moving forward. You may need to initiate legal actions in order to receive your medical accommodations, and you may be entitled to compensation for the way your employer has treated you. Let an attorney examine your claim and help you today.