The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) lays out workplace rights for people with disabilities. The ADA makes it illegal to discriminate against people with disabilities in the workplace.
The ADA gives the right to reasonable accommodations for those who:
- Work for an employer with 15 or more employees (or a state or local government)
- Have a disability as defined by the ADA
- Need the accommodation because of the disability
For more information on the ADA and accommodations, check out job supports and accommodations from Disability Benefits 101.
Disclosing a disability
People have the right to choose whether to disclose their disability to their employer. Disclosing a disability can allow someone to request accommodations. The only question potential employers are allowed to ask regarding disability disclosure is if the person can perform the essential functions of their job with or without reasonable accommodations. They cannot ask questions that would force someone to disclose their disability.
For a guide to help people decide whether to disclose a disability, see disclosure decisions to get the job (PDF) by Virginia Commonwealth University.
Requesting an accommodation
People with disabilities have the right to request and receive reasonable accommodations. Although accommodation requests don't have to be made in writing, it's always a good idea to document requests in case a dispute about the request arises. For more information on requesting accommodations, visit Job Accommodation Network's practical guide to requesting and negotiating accommodations.
More help on workplace accommodations, including individual consultation, is available through the Job Accommodation Network.