What is Reasonable Accommodation?
Reasonable accommodation refers to allowing an employee with disability to conduct specific function in the same manner as employees without any disability.
Meanwhile, an employer carries the liability of creating reasonable accommodations to suit the employee’s disability. In other words, an employer is the one who must make modifications in order to fit the concerns and needs of the disabled employee.
Reasonable accommodations often include:
· Changing the work schedule to go well with the comfort of the disabled employee.
· Providing the disabled employee with a capable and highly competent reader or interpreter.
· Allowing the disabled employee to take a vacation for medical reasons.
· Moving the disabled employee to a vacant position or to a temporary light-duty location and tasks.
· Reforming the nature of the job or duties to let the disabled employee do the job well.
· Allowing the disabled employee to take extra unpaid leave for medical purposes.
· Installing special equipment to help the employee do his or her duties, such as wheelchairs and ramps.
However, the ADA only applies to those who meet the definition of “disabled” under the Act. Hence, a disabled person is somebody who has a significant physical or mental damage that prohibits him or her to perform the major life activities such as eating, speaking, and walking.
Employment discrimination is certainly illegal by virtue of employment laws. Thus, employers must provide proper consideration to those who are injured but are willing to learn and contribute to the company, given that they are qualified.