A reasonable accommodation is a change to a job, the work environment, or the way things are usually done that lets a qualified employee or applicant with a disability, pregnancy-related limitation, or religious need do the job or have equal access. Employers must provide one unless it causes undue hardship.
Key takeaways
- Accommodations apply to disabilities under the ADA, pregnancy limitations under the PWFA, and religious practices under Title VII.
- The interactive process is a good-faith conversation to find something that works.
- Employers can choose among effective options; they don't have to provide the employee's first choice.
- Undue hardship is a high bar, measured against the employer's size and resources.
How reasonable accommodation works
An accommodation request can be informal: "I'm having trouble standing all shift because of my knee" is enough. Once HR or a manager knows, the employer should start the interactive process (EEOC, Disability discrimination). That usually means meeting with the employee, understanding the limitation and the job's essential functions, asking for limited medical documentation if the need isn't obvious, exploring options, and choosing an effective one.
Common accommodations include schedule changes, remote work, modified equipment, extra breaks, reassignment to a vacant position, leave, and changes to policies such as uniform rules. Employers don't have to remove essential functions, lower production standards, or create new jobs.
The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, effective in 2023, requires accommodations for known limitations related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related conditions, even if they aren't disabilities. Religious accommodations follow Title VII, where the Supreme Court's 2023 Groff decision requires employers to show substantial increased costs to deny them.
Reasonable accommodation example
A pregnant cashier is told by her doctor to avoid standing for more than an hour at a time. Under the PWFA, the store must accommodate the limitation unless it causes undue hardship. HR offers a stool at the register and a 10-minute break every hour. She agrees. HR documents the request, the options discussed, the decision, and a check-in date in four weeks.
Why reasonable accommodation matters for employers
Accommodation failures are a frequent source of charges and lawsuits. Disability appeared in 38.0% of EEOC charges in fiscal year 2024 (FY2024 EEOC enforcement statistics summary (CWC)), and many cases turn on whether the employer engaged in good faith, not on the accommodation itself.
Speed and documentation matter most. Acknowledge requests in writing quickly, using something like our accommodation request acknowledgment email, keep notes of each conversation, and close the loop with a written decision. Track requests in a central system rather than in managers' inboxes.
Common reasonable accommodation mistakes to avoid
Waiting for a formal written request
Any communication that links a work problem to a medical condition can trigger the duty.
Asking for complete medical records
Request only what's needed to confirm the limitation and the need.
Ending the process after one option fails
The interactive process continues until an effective accommodation is found or none exists.
Treating remote work as automatically unreasonable
Evaluate it against the job's essential functions case by case.
Reasonable accommodation: questions people also ask
What are examples of reasonable accommodations?
What is the interactive process?
Can an employer deny a reasonable accommodation?
Can an employer ask for a doctor's note?
Does the PWFA require pregnancy accommodations?
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<blockquote>A reasonable accommodation is a change to a job, the work environment, or the way things are usually done that lets a qualified employee or applicant with a disability, pregnancy-related limitation, or religious need do the job or have equal access. Employers must provide one unless it causes undue hardship.</blockquote><p>Source: <a href="https://www.hrtally.com/hr-glossary/reasonable-accommodation/">HRTally HR Glossary, Reasonable accommodation</a></p>
Written by the HRTally Research Team
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