Every job in North Carolina has certain requirements employees must perform. These requirements vary from job to job, but generally, people need to be able to perform the requirements in order to have the job. However, some people have disabilities that may prevent them from completing all job tasks independently. However, they should still be given the opportunity to work.
To help ensure that they are given the same opportunities as those without disabilities, employers need to provide reasonable accommodations to those employees with disabilities to allow them to complete the essential requirements of the job.
Examples of reasonable accommodations
There are many different types of changes that employers can make to provide reasonable accommodations. What is needed depends on the circumstances, but examples of reasonable accommodations are:
- Modifying office furniture or workstations to allow the employee to use a wheelchair while working.
- Changing work schedules or allowing more breaks to those who need them. This can also include allowing more time off for medical appointments.
- Modifying training materials, employee handbooks and other notices to allow blind employees to read them or to make accommodations for deaf employees to hear announcements.
- Changing nonessential job requirements such as not forcing the employee to lift objects that are not part of an essential job function.
These are just examples of reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities. Employers must provide any accommodation that will not result in an undue hardship for the employer.
Employers in North Carolina who do not provide reasonable accommodations for employees who have disabilities could be violating both state and federal laws. The employees with disabilities who are discriminated against as a result may be entitled to compensation.
This can include back pay, future pay, unpaid benefits and other damages, depending on the circumstances. Experienced attorneys understand employees’ rights and may be able to help protect them.