Disability discrimination frequently involves a refusal to provide the accommodations a worker requires. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), people with debilitating medical conditions can ask their employers to provide them with reasonable accommodations that allow them to perform job functions safely and effectively.
There are a few scenarios in which employers can justify denying requests for reasonable accommodations without necessarily violating the law. When can an employer deny accommodation requests?
When the business has few employees
Technically, the ADA’s employment provisions only apply to companies with 15 or more workers. Businesses with fewer employees can choose to accommodate workers but are not subject to the ADA mandate to do so.
When the accommodations are problematic
Some accommodation requests can generate tens of thousands of dollars or more in company expenses. Others might prove disruptive to business operations. If a company can credibly assert that the requested accommodations cause undue hardship, the employer could then justify refusing to provide those accommodations.
When workers fail to follow company procedures
Generally speaking, employees must adhere to company requirements for disability accommodation requests. Many employers have formal policies that may require the submission of a specific document to a manager or a member of the human resources team. If workers don’t fulfill company requirements, employers could deny them accommodations until they follow the right procedure.
In case where companies have unfairly denied reasonable accommodation requests, workers may potentially have grounds for disability discrimination lawsuits. Documenting interactions with employers can help validate that the company has refused to uphold the rights of a worker under the ADA.