My employee has come to me with a request for accommodations; what do I do?

To receive a workplace accommodation for a disability, an employee must submit a request either in writing or verbally. As their employer, it is your responsibility to respond promptly and professionally to these requests, and facilitate a solution. The first steps following the receipt of such a request are to:

Confirm and document the request, by communicating with the employee to understand their needs.
Identify potential reasonable accommodations that address the employee’s needs while considering the employer’s resources.
Work with your organization to implement an effective solution.

It is often useful and important to involve Human Resources (HR) staff in this process, which can facilitate a more comprehensive assessment of needs and resources, and ensure that accommodations are consistent with laws and regulations, as well as corporate/institutional standards. HR can be involved in the following processes:

Assess the feasibility of requested accommodations by considering factors including cost, practicality, and impact on the employee’s team and working environment. Depending on the context, some accommodations may require formal documentation from a medical professional, whereas other accommodations may be able to be handled informally, using employee self-report of disability. The HR staff will be able to advise how to handle each situation.
Select the best choice of accommodation, including completing any required administrative documentation. Such accommodations could include adaptive equipment, a flexible work schedule, job restructuring, and changes to workplace policies.
Implement the accommodation in a timely manner.
Monitor the accommodation to assess its effectiveness and practicality. Adjustments can be suggested and implemented if an accommodation would benefit from revision.
Connect employees with resources at your organization. Whether your institution has a special interest group to advocate for people with disabilities, or you have a set of resources to assist individuals with disabilities, ensure that your employee is aware of all disability-related resources available to them.

As a manager, you should learn about the definition of “reasonable accommodations” and about common strategies for accommodations so that you will be informed about available options during discussions with the employee and HR.

Employees with disabilities are often concerned about the ramifications of disclosing their disability and requesting an accommodation. Repercussions might include a change of dynamics when interacting with team members, and the possibility of being excluded from prestigious assignments or promotion opportunities. When managing employees with disabilities, ensure the confidentiality of their disability status. Verify that they are treated respectfully by all team members, and that their disability-related limitations do not unnecessarily exclude them from consideration for advancement within your organization.