What are reasonable accommodations?
For existing employees, reasonable accommodations may include any of the following:
- Sick leave
- Unpaid additional leave
- Modifications or adjustments to the work environment (or to the manner or circumstances under which the position held or desired is customarily performed) that enable a qualified individual with a disability to perform the essential functions of the position
- Modifications or adjustments that enable an employee with a disability to enjoy equal benefits and privileges of employment as are enjoyed by other similarly situated employees without disabilities
- Leave of absence
- Part-time or modified work schedules
- Assistance in the performance of an essential job function
- Modifying equipment or devices
- Providing qualified readers or interpreters
What are unreasonable accommodations?
Examples of unreasonable accommodations include:
- Promoting an employee to a position for which they are not qualified
- Lowering quality or quantity standards
- Providing personal use items like glasses and hearing aids
- Creating a new position for an employee
What is a qualified employee?
The ADA and FEHA define a qualified employee as a person who:
- Satisfies the requisite skill, experience, education, and other job-related requirements of their current job (or job to which they are applying)
- Can perform the essential job functions (not including the marginal job functions), with or without reasonable accommodation.