Aging and changes in your life may make your ability to complete your work more difficult. Where you once could be on your feet for several hours at a time, you now need to rest more regularly. You used to do well with the hustle and bustle of the office, but you can’t handle the bright lights and loud noises like you could in the past.
Did you ask your employer for some accommodations that you believe are reasonable? It could have been a simple request. Maybe you asked to have a chair nearby to be able to sit down when you need to. Maybe you want to limit your time in the main office where the lights and noise are at their boldest. Your employer listened to your requests but hasn’t gotten back to you. What should you do?
What rights does your employer have to refuse?
You should know that your employer doesn’t have a right to refuse reasonable accommodation requests in the majority of cases. Unless those requests will make it impossible for you to do your job, create a hazard in the workplace or create an undue hardship for your employer, you should be able to have those accommodations made for you.
When you have a disability or illness that makes it difficult to do your job without changes, it’s reasonable to ask for some adjustments. That being said, if you can no longer perform the essential functions of your position despite receiving the accommodations you’ve asked for, then your employer may have the right to ask you to leave the position or the company.
This is a complex area of law. Most employers can make adjustments easily, but if yours refuses, it’s worth looking into your legal options.
