What action must an employer take under the ADA regarding reasonable accommodations?

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), employers are obligated to provide reasonable accommodations for qualified employees with disabilities, as long as doing so does not impose an undue hardship on the operation of the business. This requirement is rooted in ensuring that employees with disabilities have an equal opportunity to participate in the workforce and perform their job responsibilities effectively.

Reasonable accommodations can take various forms, such as making physical modifications to the workplace, providing specialized equipment, altering work schedules, or offering additional support. The core principle is to enable employees with disabilities to perform their job functions without facing barriers that are not related to their ability to do the work.

The concept of "undue hardship" is essential to this obligation. It takes into account the nature and cost of the accommodation, the overall financial resources of the employer, the number of employees and facilities, and the impact on the operation of the business. If providing an accommodation would cause significant difficulty or expense relative to the employer's size and resources, they may be justified in not providing that particular accommodation.

In contrast, options that suggest excluding certain employees from receiving accommodations or assessing needs based on a hierarchy, like providing accommodations only for top employees, do not align with the ADA's principles of fairness and equality in the workplace.