How to Access Job Accommodations

Job accommodations do not have to be time or labor-intensive. In fact, there are often minor changes that employees can make without even notifying their supervisors or colleagues which can have a tremendous impact on their work productivity. Reducing the shame around these conversations will de-stigmatize the process and help everyone become more efficient at work.

The Job Accommodation Network

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The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) is the perfect place to start when considering how to work with your brain instead of against it at your job. JAN is a service of the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy that helps both employers and employees navigate workplace accommodations and disability employment issues.

Ideally, this should be a collaborative interactive process that results in solutions that meet everyone’s needs. While an employer may not be able to accommodate an employee's first request, they should provide detailed information about why so the employee can then consider other possible options. While adjusting an employee's schedule might not be feasible, for example, extended time to complete a project may be an alternative. It is in both employers' and employees' interests to work together to make adjustments that benefit everyone.

Requesting Work Accommodations

JAN Principal Consultant and Team Lead Melanie Whetzel advises employees to start with the two or three requests that will have the biggest impact on their work. Oftentimes, there is no need for the employee to even disclose their disability. However, if they decide to do so, the employer must keep that information confidential. JAN recommends that informal requests be followed up by an email or other written documentation to maintain a record. If a formal letter is necessary, JAN provides an accommodation letter template for employees to use. Ideally, an employer would provide a reason for denying a request, and the employee would then use that information to consider other possible options. There may be a back-and-forth negotiation process that requires flexibility from both parties before a compromise is reached. Oftentimes, it can benefit employers to provide a new accommodation trial period to see how it plays out in the workplace.

Examples of Accommodations

Another resource on the JAN website is the A to Z of Disabilities and Accommodations, which enables searches by disability, limitation, work-related function, topic, and accommodation. The directory includes more than 50 disabilities, ranging from anxiety to vertigo, along with both common and more specific accommodations. This is a great place for both employers and employees to start when embarking on this collaborative journey.

To learn more about JAN and requesting work accommodations from Principal Consultant and Team Lead Melanie Whetzel listen to Episode 010 of The Wavy Brain Podcast.