Accommodations are developed on an individual basis and in a
partnership between the person with the disability and the employer. This
teamwork generally results in cost-effective solutions. The elements to
consider are (1) the job tasks that must be performed, (2) the functional
limitations of the individual, and (3) whether the proposed accommodation(s)
will result in undue hardship to the employer. Creative solutions may involve
equipment changes, work station modifications, adjustments to work schedules,
assistance in accessing the facility, and dozens of other possibilities,
depending on the individual s particular limitations and needs.
Offered below are examples of accommodations that have been made
for qualified workers with disabilities. These are samples only and are not
necessarily the only possible solutions to the problems. To receive guidance on
specific problems and possible solutions, call the Office of Disability
Employment Policy's
Job
Accommodation Network at 800-526-7234, or 800-ADA-WORK (800-232-9675). JAN
is a free service.
PROBLEM: A worker with a
polycystic renal (kidney) disease is a senior technician in the coal industry
who is responsible for the preparation of samples for testing. This employee
requires Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD) four times daily,
with one exchange occurring during working hours.
SOLUTION: Space is made
available in the dispensary for the employee to perform CAPD while at work.
Storage space is also provided for extra supplies to be used in case of bad
weather emergencies necessitating a second exchange at work. COST: $0.
PROBLEM: An assembler for a
furniture manufacturer has spinal degeneration, uncoordinated gait and balance
difficulties. The limitations involve walking, carrying materials and
balancing.
SOLUTION: Installing a plywood
platform to raise part of the work station, suspending tools from the ceiling
to balance their weight and using a cart to move assembly parts. COST: $200.
PROBLEM: An airline
programmer/analyst with post-polio fatigue brought on by stress cannot be on
call 24 hours a day and work overtime as needed.
SOLUTION: Waiver of the
requirements of 24-hour on-call duty and overtime. The employee works the hours
prescribed for older adult worker program participants of the airline. COST:
$0.
PROBLEM: A worker with
traumatic brain injury (TBI) is employed at a bank, processing checks and other
transactions. Items must be numbered and placed into a sorting machine tray in
a special manner. The problem lay in periodic confusion due to memory loss and
weakness in one side of his body.
SOLUTION: A job coach/trainer
supplied by the rehabilitation agency assists in special training in task
sequencing, and equipment is adjusted to accommodate weakness. COST: $0.
PROBLEM: An experienced
electronics equipment inspector paralyzed from the waist down needs to perform
tasks related to using precision equipment and assembly inspection; he needs
rapid mobility around the plant.
SOLUTION: A heavy motorized
wheelchair is stored on the premises overnight for his use in the plant. The
employee uses his lightweight chair for travel. The bins containing items to be
inspected are lowered, and a lap-board is provided for his specification books.
COST: less than $200.
PROBLEM: Because of a severe
hearing loss, a nurse is unable to monitor multiple alarms on medical equipment
in the critical care unit.
SOLUTION: To continue to
utilize her experience and training, the hospital transfers her to an open
position in the laboratory, where a vibrating pager and a portable TTY/TTY is
used to direct her to various locations throughout the hospital. COST: $634.
PROBLEM: The back problem of a
well-drilling rig operator is aggravated by the constant vibration of the
standard seat in the rig.
SOLUTION: A scientifically
designed mechanical seat is installed which allows the operator to make
necessary adjustments of position, absorbing most of the vibration. The seat is
used by all workers and prevents additional trauma. Cost: $1,100.
PROBLEM: An administrative
assistant with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) has difficulty with using
the phone, typing, computer input, completing forms and reports, and doing some
filing.
SOLUTION: A cordless headset
for the telephone is purchased, arm rest extensions from the edge of the desk
are installed to reduce strain on wrists and arms, and a new effortless lock
and handle are installed on the restroom door. COST: $450.
PROBLEM: A computer service
technician with cerebral palsy loses function of the lower extremities. The job
related problems include bending, stooping, balancing, and getting underneath
the mainframe equipment to perform needed repairs.
SOLUTION: An automotive repair
creeper is purchased and modified with back support to enable the employee to
slide easily under the mainframes. COST: $30.
PROBLEM: A receptionist who is
blind works at a law firm. She cannot see the lights on the phone console which
indicate which telephone lines are ringing, on hold, or in use by staff.
SOLUTION: The employer
purchases a light-probe, a penlike product which detects a lighted button.
COST: $45.
PROBLEM: A clerk-typist with
severe depression and problems with alcoholism experiences problems with the
quality and quantity of her work.
SOLUTION: Employee is provided
with extended sick leave to cover a short period of hospitalization and a
modified work schedule to attend weekly psychotherapy treatment. Treatment is
covered by company medical plan. COST: $0.
PROBLEM: A personnel manager
with AIDS experiences a serious drop in energy levels during the mid-afternoon
hours.
SOLUTION: A small chair that
converts to a sleeping mat is provided. During a 90-minute afternoon break, the
employee puts a Do not disturb sign on the door and takes a nap. All staff
meetings are scheduled for the morning. The employee makes up the time in the
evening or on weekends as necessary. COST: $50.
PROBLEM: An individual who has
a congenital heart defect which limits strenuous activity, and mobility
limitations due to childhood polio works as a receiving clerk, which requires
unpacking merchandise, checking it in, assigning numbers, and making price
checks.
SOLUTION: A rolling chair with
locking wheels, which adjusts to the level of the task. COST: Cost: $200.
PROBLEM: A clerk with low back
strain/sprain has limitations in lifting, bending, and squatting, all results
of lower back injury. The job requires mail sorting and filing incoming
documents in a large numerical filing system.
SOLUTION: Both the clerk and
the documents are put on wheels! A rolling file stool is supplied for use when
filing at lower levels, and upper-drawer filing is done with documents on a
rolling cart, without need to lift or bend. COST: $44.
October 1994 |