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
- Ban-the-Box and Fair Chance hiring — When employers may ask about criminal history, individualized assessment requirements, and the state and city ordinances that add rules on top of federal EEOC guidance.
- Drug testing and marijuana — Pre-employment, reasonable-suspicion, and post-accident drug testing across states with off-duty cannabis protections and safety-sensitive carve-outs.
- Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) — PWFA reasonable accommodations for pregnancy, childbirth, and related conditions, plus PUMP Act lactation obligations and state overlays.
- Background check basics for HR — What a compliant employment background check includes, FCRA disclosure and authorization, and how to interpret common report components.
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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.