Confidential Workplace Accommodation Request
In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, this is a request for a workplace accommodation for a qualified employee with a disability. All information included on this form and related to this request will be kept confidential and will only be used for the purpose of addressing the employee’s request for an accommodation.
After confirming that an employee is a “qualified person with a disability”, the next question is: “Is the employee qualified to perform the job with or without an accommodation?”
This question is answered by matching an employee’s abilities against the essential job functions for his/her position. If the essential job functions have not been defined, the employer should complete a Job Analysis for that purpose.
JOB ANALYSIS
Job analysis is the process of breaking down a job into its essential functions or parts. This is a useful tool in interviewing, selecting, training, and promoting employees as well as determining pay. Job analysis is particularly useful when hiring people with disabilities, or for bringing experienced workers back to a job who are recovering from injury or illness. A careful match of the individual's aptitudes and abilities with the job enhances the probability of success.
The first step in a job analysis is to make a list of required tasks. Next, answer the following questions about each task:
| Why is the task performed |
- What business operation is supported by this task?
- What internal/external customer is served?
- Are the production and/or delivery of a product or service dependent on the performance of this task?
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| How is the task performed? |
- What methods, techniques, and tools are used?
- How often is the task performed?
- Are the tasks performed less frequently as important to success as those done more frequently?
- How much time is allotted to perform the task?
- Is the pace consistent?
- How many other employees are available to perform the function?
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| Where is the task performed? |
- Is the location accessible?
- Can the task also be done at another location?
- Environmental conditions (hot, cold, wet, dusty, noisy, etc?)
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| How is success measured? |
- What are the quality standards?
- Are there production quotas?
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| What happens if the task is performed incorrectly or not on time? |
Is there a high/medium/low impact to:
- Business operations
- Customer service
- Profitability
- Safety
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| What aptitudes are necessary? |
Aptitude refers to the potential to learn and accomplish a skill. |
| What knowledge is necessary? |
Knowledge refers to the level of general or technical information required. |
| What skills are necessary? |
Skills refer to the applied ability obtained through training. |
| How much exertion is required? |
- Physical exertion: lifting, standing, bending, reaching, twisting and crawling
- Mental exertion: performing calculations, analyzing data, planning and coordinating multiple tasks, etc.
- Emotional exertion: working under deadlines, coping with workplace disruptions, handling problems, complaints, etc.
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The result of the job analysis will be to identify a list of essential job functions that must be performed on a particular job assignment. The analysis will also identify marginal tasks that are not considered essential to the job and therefore can be reassigned to another position.
If an employee with a disability is qualified to perform essential job functions, the next question is: “Does the employee need an accommodation to perform the essential functions of the job?”
This question may be answered at least partially through the job analysis process. Many employees will already have a good idea of the type of accommodation that would enable them to perform each task, because of past work experience and/or based on assessments by rehabilitation professionals. In those cases the need for specific types of accommodations may become apparent. Otherwise, the need for an accommodation can be determined by further discussion between the employee and his or her employer, with focus on finding answers to these questions:
- What are the individual’s specific symptoms and limitations that create barriers to performing job tasks? Individuals who have the same disability may have different limitations; it is crucial to understand each person’s unique situation.
- Is the person’s condition progressive or stable? If progressing quickly, this may change the accommodation approach to some extent.
- To what degree do the limitations affect the individual’s job performance? Just because an individual has a disability or limitations, does not necessarily mean that accommodations are needed. People who have disabilities may need no accommodations, a few or many. This must be considered on a case-by-case basis.
- What specific job tasks are problematic and what specific equipment if any is typically used? In many cases, the individual will have past experience in what job tasks require accommodations and what accommodations have proven successful.
- Does medical documentation need to be obtained? Medical information can be helpful in determining if the individual is a qualified person with a disability who has the right to a reasonable accommodation. It is also helpful when determining appropriate accommodations.
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