- NARRATOR: Everyone needs the right tools
to perform a job.
(upbeat music)
Chairs for employees who work at desks.
Ladders for roofers who need to get on top of a house.
Even lunch breaks for people who need food
to get through the day, you know, like we all do.
It makes good business sense to have a workplace
that accommodates everyone's needs.
And laws, like the Americans with Disabilities Act, the ADA,
and the Rehabilitation Act,
are there to make sure workers with disabilities
are accommodated, too.
So, what kind of accommodations are we talking about?
Special privileges for special people, right?
Gold-plated hover chairs?
Trained seeing-eye unicorns?
Not even close.
Turns out employees with disabilities
aren't particularly special,
and neither are the accommodations they need
to do their jobs.
In fact, they're pretty reasonable.
Literally, it's why the ADA
calls them reasonable accommodations.
Miguel works as an office assistant
and his low vision makes using a computer monitor difficult.
So his employer provided screen reading software
that reads aloud onscreen text and image descriptions.
That's a reasonable accommodation.
June is a bookkeeper
who experienced a traumatic brain injury.
Concentrating for long periods of time
is exhausting for her.
So instead of taking one long break,
her employer allows her to take several short breaks.
That's a reasonable accommodation.
And according to the Job Accommodation Network, JAN,
the majority of workplace accommodations,
59% cost absolutely nothing.
But if there is an expense
there are tax credits and other incentives out there
to support businesses in creating
a more accessible workplace.
So how do you go about getting a reasonable accommodation?
You're the expert on what you need,
so if you need something, ask for it.
Step one, research simple solutions.
While you may be the only employee at your job
with your disability, odds are that someone somewhere
has the solution you're looking for.
Resources like JAN have whole catalogs
of useful, real-life solutions to learn from.
Step two, notify your employer.
Notifying your employer of your need
for an accommodation starts the process.
Whether you speak with them or send them an email.
You may need to provide a medical letter
or other documentation if requested.
You do not need to tell your employer
everything about your disability,
just how it might affect your job duties.
Step three, negotiate.
Finding the right accommodation
is not a one step process.
It's an interactive, back-and-forth conversation.
Your employer may propose a different accommodation
than the one you suggested.
Consider whether their idea would be effective.
Or make another suggestion.
And you may need to propose more than one accommodation
before finding the one that works for everyone.
Step four, approach a higher-level colleague.
If your employer rejects your requested accommodation
without making an alternative offer,
or if your employer refuses to discuss your request,
communicate your request to a higher-level individual,
like your supervisor's manager, or the HR department.
It is a good idea to keep notes
about who you spoke with and the date.
If all else fails, there's step five, file a claim.
If you're not getting anywhere with the higher-ups,
there are agencies that can help.
Filing a claim involves a lot of paperwork,
and sometimes short deadlines,
so it's important to move quickly.
No matter what steps you take,
always remember that asking for reasonable accommodations
is not about getting special favors.
It's about getting what you need to get your job done.
Produced by Rooted in Rights.