State and federal laws protect workers from various forms of discrimination. At the federal level, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) establishes the right for workers to request disability accommodations from their employers.
The Washington State Law Against Discrimination helps expand on and reinforce the protections enshrined in the ADA. Workers in Washington state should be able to ask their employers for reasonable accommodations that helps them work safely and effectively despite their medical challenges. When does an employee have the right to request accommodations?
When their employer has enough workers
The primary standard that governs the applicability of disability protections and other employment statutes is the number of workers within a company. The ADA typically applies to any organization with 15 or more employees.
However, many small businesses have fewer than 15 workers. Fortunately, the law applies to smaller companies. Any business with eight or more employees may need to provide reasonable accommodations for workers with disabling medical conditions.
When workers have legitimate needs
Employees may need to follow a specific procedure established by their employers when requesting disability accommodation. They may also need to provide medical documentation affirming the need for certain accommodation. Provided that the requested accommodations do not create an undue hardship for the business, the company should make a reasonable effort to work with the employee who has medical challenges.
Employees struggling to secure the support they require to do their job may have experienced disability discrimination in the form of denied accommodations. Discussing the company’s refusal with an employment law attorney could help workers assert their rights and hold their employers accountable if they refuse to abide by the law.