Disability Discrimination | Shegerian & Associates Can Help You

In recent years, various laws regarding working with people with disabilities in the workplace have been passed and under the law, employers must make an effort to make accommodations for any employees who have disabilities. Interactive process refers to this idea that employers cannot simply ignore employees who have disabilities. For example, if an employee uses a wheelchair, the employer is required to talk to them and work out a way to accommodate the employee’s needs, whether that means installing a wheelchair ramp or moving that employee to an office area that is more easily accessible.

Know Your Rights

Some employees do not know they have every right to ask for accommodations in the work place for any disability but even if they do not directly ask, employers are still under obligation to work with them and accommodate their needs. Even if an employee makes a request that is not feasible or simply not possible for the employer, they still must acknowledge the request and work to find a compromise that will fit both the employee and employer’s needs.

When to Act

Employees who have disabilities and feel as if their accommodation requests are being ignored can seek legal action against their employer and there are many options available to them if that is the course of action they wish to take. The first step is always to talk to your employer and explain your concerns and requests as well as be willing to be flexible and work within the constraints your company may be facing. Talking to Human Resources at your company about your disability and what you need to do your job can also be a good way to get the conversation started and make sure that your needs are being met.