Reasonable accommodation under the ADA
The ADA interactive process is the single biggest source of avoidable EEOC charges. Ask HR AI structures the dialogue, documents the analysis, and flags where PWFA, FMLA, or state law expand the duty.
What Ask HR AI covers
- Essential-functions analysis
- Interactive process documentation
- Undue-hardship factors
- Common accommodations (schedule, remote, equipment, leave)
"An employee with anxiety asks for a permanent remote schedule — how do I handle the interactive process?"
Ask this in Ask HR AIHow to run the ADA interactive process
- Step 1 — Acknowledge the accommodation request. A request need not use magic words; treat any indication that a medical condition requires an adjustment as a trigger.
- Step 2 — Analyze essential functions. Use the job description and actual duties to identify which functions are truly essential.
- Step 3 — Explore accommodation options. Consider schedule changes, equipment, remote work, reassignment, or leave; involve the employee.
- Step 4 — Assess undue hardship. Document cost, disruption, and effect on operations.
- Step 5 — Document the outcome and revisit. Record the accommodation, effective date, and review schedule.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to grant every accommodation an employee requests?
No. You must engage in an interactive process and provide a reasonable accommodation, but you can choose among effective accommodations and deny those that impose undue hardship.
Is remote work always a reasonable accommodation?
Not automatically. It depends on whether physical presence is an essential function and whether the role can be performed effectively remotely.
What is undue hardship?
Significant difficulty or expense considering the employer's size, resources, and the nature of the operation — a high bar that requires case-specific analysis.
Related Ask HR AI topics
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- Retaliation claims — The most common EEOC charge — how to identify protected activity, avoid materially adverse actions, and document non-retaliatory decisions.
- I-9 and work authorization — Form I-9 completion, remote verification, re-verification, E-Verify, and how to respond to a Notice of Inspection without creating a discrimination claim.
- FCRA adverse action — The two-step FCRA adverse action process: pre-adverse notice with a copy of the report and Summary of Rights, a reasonable waiting period, and the final adverse action notice.
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Keep going on SafestHires
- All HR resources — calculators, templates, and the full Ask HR AI hub.
- Compliance checklist — the end-to-end FCRA, ban-the-box, and adverse action workflow.
- SafestHires blog — deeper dives on the topics above.
Ask HR AI is not legal advice. Confirm any final answers or suggested actions with your employment legal counsel before acting on them.