As the COVID-19 (Delta variant) concerns continue, employees are inundating employers with accommodation requests under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). These requests must be handled on an individual case-by-case basis.
There may be several reasons why employers are seeing an increase in accommodation requests.
Which Includes:
- Concerns about exposure to COVID-19 (Delta variant)
- The convenience of working from home
- The unavailability or cost of childcare
Assess Accommodation Requests
Employers must evaluate each employee request on an individual case-by-case basis.
Evaluate requests based on factors such as:
- The type of accommodation requested.
- The job position.
- The duration of the request.
- Whether the requested accommodation would sufficiently mitigate a direct threat to the workplace.
- Whether the requested accommodation would create an undue burden on the business.
Employers should explain the difference between reasonable accommodation requests that are directly related to a medical condition or personal health, and those that are not.
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