reasonable accommodation

Definition

Modifications or adjustments enabling employees with disabilities to perform essential job functions, required under the ADA unless they cause 'undue hardship.' It's the legal framework for accessibility that shouldn't need legal framework.

Example Usage

The company provided reasonable accommodation by installing screen-reading software and allowing flexible scheduling for her medical appointments.

Origin

Codified in Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, though concept existed in rehabilitation law earlier

Fun Fact

Most reasonable accommodations cost nothing or less than $500, yet many employers resist them due to misconceptions about expense and complexity.

Source: Americans with Disabilities Act and employment law

Related Terms

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retaliation

The legally prohibited but distressingly common practice of punishing employees who dare to complain about workplace issues, report violations, or otherwise make waves. What starts as someone raising a legitimate concern about safety or discrimination mysteriously transforms into performance reviews that suddenly go south, convenient budget cuts to their department, or being assigned to the office next to the server room. HR departments have entire training modules on how not to do this, which tells you everything about how often it happens.

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retain

To keep employees from jumping ship to your competitors by offering just enough compensation, culture, or free snacks to make them stay. In HR circles, retention is the art of convincing talented people that the grass isn't actually greener on the other side. It's also what lawyers do when you pay them a retainer—essentially putting them on standby like a professional fire extinguisher.

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internship

A mutually beneficial arrangement where students gain "valuable experience" while companies gain valuable free (or underpaid) labor. Often the corporate equivalent of an audition, where bright-eyed candidates perform grunt work in exchange for LinkedIn bragging rights and the distant promise of actual employment. Despite the educational spin, it's basically a trial period where both parties determine if they can tolerate each other for 40+ hours a week.

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ghost job

A job posting that remains listed despite the position being filled, cancelled, or never actually available. The corporate equivalent of catfishing, wasting candidates' time on phantom opportunities.

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Offboarding

The administrative process of un-hiring someone, which involves revoking access, collecting laptops, and pretending the transition is seamless when everyone knows the departing employee was the only one who knew the Wi-Fi password.

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presenteeism

When employees show up to work but are unproductive due to illness, burnout, or other issues. The zombie state of being physically present while mentally checked out or too sick to function.

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