How does our family member seek workplace accommodations that tailor the job itself or the job environment?
What if an employer won’t provide the accommodations my family member requests?
What accommodations are most often requested by people with mental health conditions?
What accommodations work best for people with mental health conditions?
How does our family member seek workplace accommodations that tailor the job itself or the job environment?
If an employee or potential employee feels that they need adjustments to the job, the work environment, or the supports at work, they can apply to the employer for workplace accommodations as described in the Americans With Disabilities Act and its amendments. Some very small employers may be excluded from the law on accommodations, but most employers are required to make these adjustments. This fact sheet from the ADA National Network outlines reasonable accommodations in the workplace and provides an overview of the accommodation request process.
Families can help their relatives by educating them on their rights and helping them to prepare the request for accommodations. You may be able to help in this process by requesting the appropriate documentation from clinicians who treat your family member. But, remember to maintain an open stream of communication with your relative and ensure that they are driving the process.
Your family member will be the one to request the specific accommodations from their employer. Someone wishing to apply for accommodations needs to have written certification from a physician, or other licensed healthcare practitioner, stating the there is a disability, how that disability may impact someone at work, and what kind of accommodations are needed. It is not necessary initially to say what the diagnosis is, and for people with mental health conditions, it may be best to leave that out. The more important requirement is the statement of functional limitations and recommended accommodations. Sometimes the medical professional will not know what functional limitations present or what accommodations would be helpful. This information is best obtained through the combined efforts of the employee, family, and rehabilitation professionals involved in the process.
What if an employer won’t provide the accommodations my family member requests?
There are two agencies which are readily available to all citizens at no cost that have great expertise in the ADA and all of its aspects.
The first is the Job Accommodation Network. This is a national organization that provides training and technical assistance to job seekers and their families, employees, employers and others involved in the vocational efforts. JAN operates a comprehensive website and has a toll free phone number.
The other resource are the ADA Centers throughout the country which have a regional base. The ADA Technical Assistance Centers (sometimes known as DBTAC‘s) employ legal experts who can answer questions like this on the ADA. A person might call an ADA Center if there is a concern about discrimination, failure to provide accommodations, worry about being fired or advice on how to deal with potential conflicts. These centers are set up on a regional basis.
What accommodations are most often requested by people with mental health conditions?
The most common accommodations for persons with mental health conditions are flexibility in scheduling and regular supportive supervision (relationship accommodations) with extra clear job descriptions. The accommodation that is least likely to be met to the success of the employee is relationship accommodation such as supervision. (BU DRRK)
The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) created the accommodation ideas listed below. You can contact JAN directly if you need more information beyond what has been provided.
What accommodations work best for people with mental health conditions?
The three main types are task (adjusting the actual work tasks); routine (adjusting the work hours/ schedule) and relationships (specific type or amount of supervision). Sometimes accommodations that work for a person with a mental health condition are the same as the ones that are used for those with physical disabilities such as type of work space or parking arrangements. The “ramps” for people with mental health conditions tend to be people in the work environment who see them as people first, not diagnoses, and who are supportive and fair at the same time.
The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) has created a directory of accommodation resources by disability and functional limitation. Several examples are linked in the previous section.