A workplace accommodation can help you continue working while managing a disability or medical condition. If your employer denies your request, you may wonder whether the employer followed California law.
Employers can deny some accommodation requests, but not every denial is lawful. They must review each request before making a decision. Learning those rules can help you understand why your employer denied your request.
When an employer may deny your request
Employers should review each request based on the employee’s situation instead of relying on blanket policies. Your employer may deny an accommodation request for reasons such as:
- Undue hardship: Your employer may deny an accommodation if it would create significant difficulty or expense based on the company’s size, resources and business operations.
- Essential job functions: An employer may deny a request if you could not perform the core duties of your position even with the accommodation.
- Direct safety threat: An employer may deny a request if the accommodation would create a serious safety risk that no reasonable alternative could address.
- Alternative accommodation: Your employer may offer a different accommodation if it would meet your needs, even if it is not the option you requested.
Your employer should review your request before deciding whether to deny it. An employer generally cannot rely only on convenience or assumptions about your medical condition.
Exploring reasonable alternatives
A denied request does not always end the conversation. If your employer cannot approve the accommodation you requested, another reasonable option may still be available.
The law generally requires employers and employees to discuss possible accommodations before a final decision. They should explore options that let you perform your job. Many disputes begin when that discussion ends too soon or employers stop looking at other reasonable options.
A denial is only part of the story
A denied request does not tell the whole story. The reason for the denial matters, but so does the process that led to the decision. Employers should review each request based on the employee’s situation and consider whether another option would work. The reason for the denial and the employer’s actions can help show whether the employer met its legal duties.