If you have a disability or chronic health condition, you don’t have to just “push through” at work and hope for the best. The Americans with Disabilities Act requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide reasonable accommodations — and the range of what’s available is broader than most people realize. Here are 10 accommodations you can request, along with what makes each one effective.
Schedule and Location Flexibility
- Modified work schedule. This could mean shifting your hours to accommodate morning medical appointments, working four 10-hour days instead of five 8-hour days, or starting later if your medication causes morning grogginess. The goal is matching your productive hours to your work hours.
- Remote work or hybrid arrangement. If commuting aggravates your condition or you need to manage symptoms throughout the day, working from home — full-time or part-time — is a well-established reasonable accommodation.
- Additional or extended breaks. For conditions that require rest periods, medication administration, or blood sugar management, you can request more frequent breaks or longer breaks than what’s standard.
- Part-time or reduced hours. If full-time work isn’t feasible right now, a temporary or permanent reduction in hours may be reasonable — especially during recovery from surgery or a flare-up.
Physical Workspace Changes
- Ergonomic equipment. Standing desks, ergonomic chairs, keyboard trays, monitor risers, footrests — anything that reduces physical strain related to your condition. Your doctor can specify exactly what you need.
- Accessible parking or workspace relocation. Moving your workspace closer to restrooms, elevators, or building entrances. Reserved accessible parking. These are straightforward asks that make a real difference for mobility-related conditions.
- Noise reduction. A private office, noise-canceling headphones, or relocation away from high-traffic areas. This applies to conditions ranging from PTSD to migraines to sensory processing disorders.
Job Duty and Communication Adjustments
- Job restructuring. Reassigning non-essential tasks that your condition makes difficult while keeping the core functions of your role. For example, reassigning occasional heavy lifting to a coworker if it’s not a primary duty of your position.
- Modified communication methods. Written instructions instead of verbal ones (helpful for auditory processing or hearing impairments), video calls with captions, or email follow-ups after meetings to confirm key points.
- Leave for medical treatment. Beyond FMLA, additional unpaid leave can be a reasonable accommodation for ongoing treatment, recovery, or condition management — as long as it doesn’t create an undue hardship for the employer.
How to Make the Request
You don’t need to use the words “ADA” or “reasonable accommodation” in your initial request — but putting it in writing is smart. A simple email to your manager or HR that says “I have a medical condition that affects [specific job function], and I’d like to discuss an accommodation” is enough to start the interactive process.
Your employer can ask for medical documentation supporting the need for the accommodation, but they can’t demand your full medical history or specific diagnosis. They need to know what your functional limitations are and how the accommodation addresses them. A letter from your healthcare provider connecting the dots is usually sufficient.
If your request is denied, ask why in writing. Employers must show that an accommodation would create an “undue hardship” — not just that it’s inconvenient. If you believe your rights are being violated, the Job Accommodation Network (askjan.org) offers free guidance, and the EEOC handles formal complaints.
The Disability bundle includes step-by-step worksheets for requesting workplace accommodations, organizing medical documentation, and tracking your employer’s response. Organizational tools for the hardest days. Browse planning tools at lumeway.co.
You have the right to work in a way that works with your body — not against it.
This post is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or medical advice. Consult a licensed professional for guidance specific to your situation.