Reasonable accommodations can prevent disability discrimination

On Behalf of | Aug 15, 2018 | Disability Discrimination |

People have the right to try and earn a living and support themselves to the best of their ability. While this may be easy for some Minnesota residents, it is harder for disabled individuals to find jobs for which they are otherwise qualified. Employers may hesitate to employ someone with a disability due to their own misconceptions about their condition, and when they discriminate against someone with a disability, employers violate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Per the ADA, employers cannot discriminate against disabled people who are qualified for a position. An employer must provide reasonable accommodation, unless to do so would prove to be an undue hardship. Accommodations refer to changes in the workplace that would allow the affected individual to enjoy equal employment opportunities. This is a statutory requirement because providing an accommodation can remove workplace barriers for individuals with disabilities.

There are three types of reasonable accommodations. First, it could be an adjustment to the application procedure. Second, it could be an adjustment to the work environment or how the work is performed. Lastly, it could be modifications that enable an employee to enjoy the same rights and privileges as other employees in that position. Accommodations include job restructuring, acquiring or modifying equipment, changing tests or materials, providing qualified interpreters or readers and making existing facilities accessible.

To have barriers in the workplace that prevent a disabled individual from competing or completing a job for which they are otherwise qualified is considered disability discrimination and is against the law. If an accommodation is reasonable, an employer or potential employer should legally be providing it and if he or she is not, they might be found to be violating applicable laws.