MAKING FACILITIES ACCESSIBLE AND USABLE
Some accommodations may require making modifications to the physical environment, for example:
- installing a fire alarm strobe with a flashing light for someone with no hearing
- installing a ramp for someone with a mobility impairment to access an area where only steps are provided
- providing an accessible parking space to someone who easily fatigues
- replacing doorknobs with door levers for individuals with limited grasping ability
- installing colored strips on stairs as a visual cue for a person with a vision impairment
Following is an example of a facility modification as a workplace accommodation
Situation: A computer programmer in a manufacturing company has cerebral palsy that affects her fine motor control. She uses a wheelchair and as a result could not access certain areas of the work-site.
Solution: A bathroom stall was enlarged and safety rails installed. The desk was raised several inches to enable the wheelchair to fit underneath, and computer space was made available on the first floor of the building. A ramp and automatic doors were installed and a personal parking place close to the elevator was identified. Building owners provided materials and absorbed costs for building remodeling. Cost to owner of the building was approximately $5,000. Cost to employer: $0.
JOB RESTRUCTURING
Job restructuring or job modification is a form of reasonable accommodation that enables many qualified individuals with disabilities to perform jobs effectively. Job restructuring may involve reallocating or redistributing the marginal functions of a job. However, an employer is not required to reallocate essential functions of a job as a reasonable accommodation. Essential functions, by definition, are those that a qualified individual must perform, with our without accommodation.
Job restructuring frequently is accomplished by exchanging marginal functions of a job that cannot be performed by a person with a disability for marginal job functions performed by one or more employees.
For example: An employer may have two jobs, each containing essential functions and a number of marginal functions. The employer may hire an individual with a disability who can perform the essential functions of one job and some, but not all, of the marginal functions of both jobs. As an accommodation, the employer may redistribute the marginal functions so that all of the functions that can be performed by the person with a disability are in this person’s job and the remaining marginal functions are transferred to the other job.
Although an employer is not required to reallocate essential job functions, it may be a reasonable accommodation to modify the essential functions of a job by changing when or how they are done. For example, a person who has a disability that makes it difficult to write might be allowed to computerize records that have been maintained manually.
Example of accommodations by modifying job requirements:
Situation: As a result of diabetes, a productive employee in a retail business was experiencing fatigue and needed time during the day to administer medication. She was having difficulty performing sales duties for a sustained period of time.
Solution: The employee’s schedule was altered to allow for a longer meal break and periods during the day to administer medication. A job analysis identified marginal job duties that were reassigned to create a more balanced workload, allowing more time for higher-priority sales duties. Cost of accommodation: $0.
MODIFIED WORK SCHEDULES
An employer should consider modification of a regular work schedule as a reasonable accommodation unless this would cause an undue hardship. Modified work schedules may include flexibility in work hours or the workweek, or part-time work, where this will not be an undue hardship.
Many people with disabilities are fully qualified to perform jobs with the accommodation of a modified work schedule. Some people are unable to work a standard 9-5 workday, or a standard Monday to Friday workweek; others need some adjustment to regular schedules.
People whose disabilities may need modified work schedules include:
- people who require special medical treatment for their disability;
- people who need rest periods (including some people who have AIDS, multiple sclerosis, cancer, diabetes, respiratory conditions, or mental illness);
- people whose disabilities (such as diabetes) are affected by eating or sleeping schedules; and
- people with mobility and other impairments who find it difficult to use public transportation during peak hours or who must depend on special para-transit schedules.
Examples of modified work schedules as a reasonable accommodation:
An accountant with a mental disability required two hours off, twice weekly, for sessions with a psychiatrist. He was permitted to take longer lunch breaks and to make up the time by working later on those days. Cost to employer: $0.
A machinist has diabetes and must follow a strict schedule to keep blood sugar levels stable. She must eat on a regular schedule and take insulin at set times each day. This means that she cannot work the normal shift rotations for machinists. As an accommodation, she is assigned to one shift on a permanent basis. Cost: $0.
FLEXIBLE LEAVE POLICIES
Flexible leave policies should be considered as a reasonable accommodation when people with disabilities require time off from work because of their disability. An employer is not required to provide additional paid leave as an accommodation, but should consider allowing use of accrued leave, advanced leave, or leave without pay, where this will not cause an undue hardship.
People with disabilities may require special leave for a number of reasons related to their disability, such as:
- medical treatment related to the disability
- repair of a prosthesis or equipment
- temporary adverse conditions in the work environment (for example, an air-conditioning breakdown causing temperatures above 85 degrees could seriously harm the condition of a person with multiple sclerosis)
- training in the use of an assistive device or a guide dog. (However, if an assistive device is used at work and provided as a reasonable accommodation, and if other employees receive training during work hours, the disabled employee should receive training on this device during work hours, without need to take leave.)
REASSIGNMENT TO A VACANT POSITION
Reassignment may need to be considered as a reasonable accommodation. If so, the Americans with Disabilities Act Technical Assistance Manual for Title 1 offers the following guidelines when considering reassignment.
Reassignment in general should only be considered when an accommodation is not possible in an employee’s present job or when an accommodation in an employee’s present job would cause an undue hardship for the employer. Reassignment may be an appropriate accommodation if both employer and employee agree that this is more appropriate than accommodation in the present job.
Consideration of reassignment is only required for an existing employee. An employer is not required to create a different position for a job applicant if s/he is not able to perform the essential functions of the job s/he is applying for, with or without accommodation.
Additionally, job reassignment:
- May not be used to limit, segregate or discriminate
- Does not require the employer to reassign an unqualified person
- Does not require an employer to create a new job or bump another employee
- Does not require an employer to promote an employee with a disability as an accommodation.
Reassignment to a lateral (with similar pay/benefits) position only when:
- Accommodations are not possible for the current position; or
- Accommodation for the current position cause an undue hardship; or
- The employer and employee agree that reassignment is the more appropriate accommodation in the present job.
Reassignment to vertical (with less pay/benefits) position only when:
- There are no lateral vacant positions or
- There are no lateral vacant positions or soon to be vacant positions in which the employee is qualified to perform with or without reasonable accommodations.
ACQUISITION OR MODIFICATION OF EQUIPMENT AND DEVICES
Purchase of equipment or modifications to existing equipment may be effective accommodations for people with many types of disabilities.
There are many devices that make it possible for people with disabilities to overcome existing barriers to performing functions of a job. These devices range from very simple solutions, such as an elastic band that can enable a person with cerebral palsy to hold a pencil and write, to high-tech electronic equipment that can be operated with eye or head movements by people who cannot use their hands.
There are also many ways to modify standard equipment so as to enable people with different functional limitations to perform jobs effectively and safely.
Some examples of equipment and devices that may be reasonable accommodations:
- TDDs (Telecommunication Devices for the Deaf) make it possible for people with hearing and/or speech impairments to communicate over the telephone;
- Telephone amplifiers are useful for people with hearing impairments;
- Special software for standard computers and other equipment can enlarge print or convert print documents to spoken words for people with vision and/or reading disabilities;
- Tactile markings on equipment in brailled or raised print are helpful to people with visual impairments;
- Telephone headsets and adaptive light switches can be used by people with cerebral palsy or other manual disabilities;
- Talking calculators can be used by people with visual or reading disabilities;
- Speaker phones may be effective for people who are amputees or have other mobility impairments.
Some examples of effective low cost assistive devices:
- A timer with an indicator light allowed a medical technician who was deaf to perform laboratory tests. Cost: $27
- A clerk with limited use of her hands was provided a “lazy Susan” file holder that enabled her to reach all materials needed for her job. Cost: $85
- A groundskeeper who had limited use of one arm was provided a detachable extension arm for a rake. This enabled him to grasp the handle on the extension with the impaired hand and control the rake with the functional arm. Cost: $20
- A phone headset allowed an insurance salesman with cerebral palsy to write while talking to clients. Rental cost: $6 per month.
- A person who had use of only one hand, working in a food service position could perform all tasks except opening cans. She was provided with a one-handed can opener. Cost: $35
- A simple cardboard form, called a “jig” made it possible for a person with mental retardation to properly fold jeans as a stock clerk in a retail store. Cost: $0
The search for appropriate assistive technology is accomplished by answering a series of questions:
#1: Is there an existing product or service that will solve the problem?
If possible, find an existing product that will do the job. There are many different products on the market that can be used to accommodate individuals who have disabilities. Some products may be specifically designed and intended to accommodate individuals who have disabilities while others were not designed specifically for that purpose, but work nonetheless. It is also important to remember that if a product is purchased as an accommodation that additional accommodations may be needed to support the individual in the use of that product. Additional accommodations may include proper training, maintenance of the device, and coworker support just to name a few. If the product is to be used with other equipment, compatibility with that equipment must be considered.
The purchase of a service may also be a form of accommodation. This may include an interpreter for an individual with a hearing impairment, a reader for someone with no vision or even the services of a company that can transfer information from printed text into alternative format. Listed below are example accommodation situations and solutions involving the use of products and services.
Situation: An electromechanical assembly worker acquired a cumulative wrist/hand trauma disorder that affected handling and fingering. This decreased his ability to perform the twisting motion needed to use a screwdriver.
Solution: A rechargeable electric screwdriver was purchased to reduce repetitious wrist twisting. Electric screwdrivers were subsequently purchased for all employees as a preventative measure. Cost of accommodation: $65.
If an existing product cannot be identified, then proceed to #2:
#2: Is it possible to use or combine available products differently than they are usually used?
This step of the process requires the accommodation seeker to consider products for uses in which they were not necessarily intended. For example, amplified stethoscopes were designed to assist nurses and doctors in noisy areas like an emergency room or on the site of an accident. However, these same amplified stethoscopes have also proven helpful to nurses and doctors with hearing loss in controlled noise environments. The following is an example accommodation situation and solution.
Situation: An elementary school teacher with hearing loss was having great difficulty hearing students due to background noise of screeching tables and chairs on the tiled classroom floor.
Solution: The school could not purchase carpeting for the classroom immediately, so the teacher was permitted to cut holes in tennis balls and place them on the legs of the tables and chairs. Although the tennis balls were not intended for this purpose, they eliminated the background noise of the screeching tables and chairs. Fortunately, the teacher had tennis playing friends who were willing to donate their used tennis balls. As a result, the cost of the accommodation was $0.
If a suitable accommodation still has not been identified, proceed to #3:
#3: Is it possible to modify a product?
Employers can often modify existing products in house, however, at times it may be necessary to call a professional such as a rehabilitation engineer, electrician, computer specialist or the manufacturer of the product. Following are example modification situations and solutions.
Situation: A catalog salesperson with a spinal cord injury had difficulties using the catalog due to finger dexterity limitations.
Solution: The employer purchased a motorized catalog rack. When modified with a single switch control, the employee was capable of turning the rack to access the catalog using a mouth stick. An angled computer keyboard stand for better accessibility was also provided. Cost of accommodation: $1,500.
Situation: A custodian with low vision was having difficulty seeing the carpeted area he was vacuuming.
Solution: A fluorescent lighting system was mounted on his industrial vacuum cleaner. Cost of accommodation: $240.
If Steps 1-3 do not yield a suitable accommodation, the final step is to determine:
#4: Is it possible to design a new product?
Designing a new product to satisfy the accommodation need may require the assistance of a professional such as a rehabilitation engineer, computer specialist, or a company willing to design a new product. The following examples of new products that have been designed were taken from the Rehabilitation Engineering Tech Brief published by The Cerebral Palsy Research Foundation of Kansas Inc.
Situation: A bicycle repairman was having difficulty bending down to work on bicycles as a result of a back injury.
Solution:The technicians at the Mobile Shop of the Cerebral Palsy Research Foundation designed and made an adjustable height bicycle rack that could raise and lower the bicycle to a comfortable working height. Seventy staff hours were required for design, fabrication and installation. Material and part costs for the modification totaled approximately $450.
