If you're disabled, how many accommodations can you ask for at work?

If you have a disability, you are entitled under both federal and Connecticut law to a reasonable accommodation to allow you to perform the essential functions of your job. But what do you do if you require more than one accommodation? Is there any limit on how many accommodations you can ask for?

Under both the Americans with Disabilities Act ("ADA") and the Connecticut Fair Employment Practices Act ("CFEPA"), there is no limit to the number of reasonable accommodations an employee can request, as long as the requested accommodations are necessary to perform the essential functions of their job and don't cause undue hardship to the employer. The questions raised are 1) whether the requested accommodations are reasonable, and 2) whether the requested accommodations cause the employer undue hardship.

So how does an employer determine whether a requested accommodation is reasonable or will cause an undue hardship? Under both Connecticut and federal law, the employer is required to engage the employee in an interactive process to identify such a reasonable accommodation. An employer cannot rely upon existing policy to deny an accommodation request; rather, the employer must engage in a good faith dialogue with the employee. Sometimes that can mean making an exception to a policy. For example, an employee who suffers from chronic migraines may be entitled to an office with a door, even though company policy is that only managers get offices.

Unfortunately, health care workers and teachers, along with many other professionals, are not always provided with reasonable accommodations.

If you have requested accommodations at work and been denied, contact the Law Offices of Anthony J. Pantuso, III at 203-726-0284.