For people who have a disability, such changes are often critical to their success. Although some of the adjustments might be different from those that work for other people, they accomplish the same result - allowing a qualified employee or student to do the best job they can. These strategies are often just good business or educational practices. Reasonable accommodations are those adjustments within a work or school site that allow an otherwise qualified employee or student with a disability to perform the tasks required.
It is important that employers and educators know that they are not expected to provide opportunities to those who cannot do what is necessary. The laws do not require anyone to lower the standards of performance or change the qualifications needed to gain entry into a job or school program. What is expected are changes in the ways that those standards are met.
Employers and educators are required to provide reasonable accommodations under 2 separate laws: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Recently, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued Enforcement Guidance on the ADA and Psychiatric Disability. In What laws require that reasonable accommodations be provided you can read a summary of this Guidance and find out more about these laws and definitions of the technical terms.
Knowing the things that the person has trouble doing that are due to the disability (known as the functional limitations) and the demands of the job or school program helps to identify accommodations for that person. The symptoms of the illnesses and the medications may cause problems with memory, concentration, relating to others, managing or experiencing emotions, organizing and managing time and other areas. Go to How does mental illness interfere with functioning on the job or How does mental illness interfere with functioning in school for descriptions and examples of functional limitations that are due to psychiatric disability.
The accommodations that have been found to be effective include changes in schedules, instructions, job tasks or other procedures and ways of interacting with the employee or student. Not all of these accommodations will work for everyone; each situation should be taken on an individual basis. It is also important to know that many people with psychiatric disabilities may not need accommodations of any kind.
What accommodations work on the job or What accommodations work in school present examples of the types of accommodations that are effective for people with psychiatric disabilities, and include case illustrations of specific situations in which accommodations have been used. Employment scenarios and educational scenarios describe situations that you might experience with answers about what you could do.
Implementing reasonable accommodations may help employees or students return to work or school from disability or medical leave sooner. This cuts down on costs due to lost productivity. Costs for treatment of mental illness may be reduced the sooner one returns to a productive role as well. And the costs for providing accommodations are fairly inexpensive - most cost less than $500, and for people with psychiatric disabilities, the cost is usually less than $100. In fact, the Job Accommodation Network says that companies report an average return of $28.69 in benefits for every dollar invested in making an accommodation.
Often, these adjustments such as flexible schedules, time off for medical appointments, or changes in communication, feedback and/or supervision are not much different from the changes one makes for any employee or student. Changes made in work or school policies or procedures, such as flex time, may benefit everyone, not just the employee with a disability.
There are a number of resources out there to provide information and technical assistance. Consult the extensive lists of readings (What can I read for more information for Employers and What can I read for more information for Educators) and links to resources (Where can I go for more information for Employers and Where can I go for more information for Educators) located on this Web site. Or go to our frequently asked questions section (FAQs from Employers and FAQs from Educators)
Give a talented person who experiences a mental illness an opportunity to live, learn and work like all of us do. It does make good sense.
Reasonable Accommodations Site
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