Disability Discrimination Lawyer
If you have a disability, you no doubt face more challenges on a daily basis that non-disabled do not. Luckily, there are various accommodations that can make your life easier, even in the workplace. Employers in the United States are required by law to provide reasonable accommodations to disabled workers. Employers who refuse to provide such accommodations may face legal penalties.
Common Types of Accommodations
Accommodations refer to any type of assistance that makes it possible for disabled employees to successfully perform their duties at work. Here are some common examples of these accommodations:
- Flexible scheduling, such allowing employees to take more frequent breaks or take time off for doctor’s appointments
- Providing a wheelchair-accessible desk
- Phone amplifiers
- Braille keyboards
- Getting rid of non-essential tasks
- Modifying exams and training materials
- Providing computer screen readers
- Getting dictation software
Requesting Disability Accommodation
If you believe certain accommodations would help you perform your job easier, you have every right to make a request to your employer. Simply tell your employer the kind of accommodation you are requesting and why you need it. Although you are not required to make a request in writing, it may be in your best interest to do so. This way, you can have a paper trail in case there is ever a dispute.
Your employer may require your doctor to submit a Physician’s Medical Review form, in which he or she certifies that you have a disability and need reasonable accommodations because of it.
What to Do If Your Employer Refuses Your Accommodation Request
If your employer does not believe that your accommodation request is unreasonable and denies it, you may feel discouraged. However, you should not give up hope. If you believe that your employer is being the unreasonable, you may want to speak to a disability discrimination lawyer as soon as possible. He or she can review your case and determine if you have any legal recourse or not.
If you are facing discrimination for your disability at work, you may want to contact a disability discrimination lawyer, like one from Eric Siegel Law. We understand how difficult it must be to deal with this kind of discrimination in the workplace and want to help you pursue justice. Our experienced lawyers will thoroughly review your case and advise you of the next steps.