The American Association for Disability Policy Reform
— rehabilitation first —
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Workplace Accommodations
We often assume that preparing impaired individuals for a return to work is sufficient to guarantee a successful and reasonably-permanent return to work. At times this may be true but at other times, substantial workplace accommodations may be needed to enable an employer to successfully integrate impaired individuals into the workplace. Consider the following:
- First the employer must make a commitment to trying to hire and successfully integrate impaired workers into the workplace. The employer must decide how to approach the hiring of job candidates who may not be as capable as others and then implement the selected approach.
- Then the employer must interview impaired job candidates with sensitivity to their special needs and abilities. Only candidates who have a reasonable chance of succeeding, with accommodation, in the offered positions should be hired. Those who cannot be hired should be given help finding other positions, if possible.
- New employees need to be asked to identify their own limitations and, depending on the situation, jobs may need to be customized to accommodate impaired employees. In some situations, job coaches and specially-trained staff may be needed. Current employees may need to be trained in disability awareness. They should be advised of management’s commitment to employing disabled persons.
- Once hired, employees with impairments should to be monitored by helpful staff so that problems can be detected and corrected at the earliest reasonable time. If simple steps are not successful, higher management may be needed to implement more involved solutions than job coaches are able to implement. Success on the part of both new employees and current employees should be recognized and rewarded.
- If it becomes clear that the impaired new employee cannot be integrated into the employer’s organization, steps should be taken to provide the individual with leave from employment for additional rehabilitation or with a successful transition to other employment.
The demands of jobs may vary greatly even within a single job category, depending on factors such as the particular equipment used and local business practices. Impairments also vary greatly. Clearly an individualized approach is needed in every situation.
We are indebted to Sarah von Schrader, Ph.D., and Valerie Malzer, M.P.A. at Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations - Employment and Disability Institute for the analysis that formed the basis of this page.
Last updated on 1/17/20.