Failing to Provide Accommodations Can Be Workplace Discrimination
June 21, 2021
Living with a disability can present employment-related challenges for a Georgia resident. Although disabled workers can do many different types of work, they are often perceived as incapable by individuals who fail to understand their true qualities and capacities to achieve. In some workplace situations, disabled individuals may be denied the reasonable accommodations that they require so that they can fully perform the responsibilities of their jobs and achieve success within their workplaces.
This post will discuss disability discrimination and the need for employers to provide workers with reasonable disability accommodations. No part of this post should be interpreted as legal advice related to any active or prospective claims. All readers who have concerns about disability or workplace discrimination in their jobs can speak with trusted employment lawyers about their options.
What Is a Reasonable Accommodation?
Disability law within the United States is primarily taken from the Americans with Disabilities Act. This law protects disabled workers from discrimination and requires certain employers to provide their disabled employees with accommodations to help them to do their jobs. Not all accommodations that workers require are considered reasonable. For example, if an accommodation is cost-prohibitive based on the size and employment capacity of the employer, the accommodation may not be mandatory for the employer to provide.
However, many employers attempt to avoid providing their disabled workers with reasonable accommodations despite the fact they are required to do so. When a worker believes that they have been denied a reasonable accommodation in violation of the law, they may have rights to challenge the denial decision.
Denied Accommodations Are Not the Only Discrimination Disabled Workers Face
Disabled individuals can face an uphill battle just getting into the workforce. Many employers choose not to hire disabled workers because they feel that they will not be able to fully perform the tasks that are required of them. This is against the law and may offer a denied applicant options to seek redress through different legal means.
Disability should not be a consideration in employment situations. There is a place for everyone who is willing and able to work in the workforce. When disability discrimination becomes an issue, workers have rights and can seek to enforce them with the help of trusted employment lawyers.