Suggestions for Specific Accommodations

Many functional limitations and symptoms are common to many different types of disabilities.
Here is a list of common symptoms/limitations and suggested accommodations for each:

Attendance Issues

Provide flexible leave for health problems
Provide a self-paced work load and flexible hours
Allow employee to work from home
Provide part-time work schedule

Chemical sensitivity

Provide sensitivity training to coworkers
Provide air purification.
Provide additional rest breaks for the individual to step out for fresh air.
Create a smoke and fragrance-free work environment.
Consider an alternative work arrangement such as work from home.
Allow for alternative work arrangements when construction is taking place.
Use alternative pest management practice that will not require the use of chemicals.
Allow the individual to wear a respirator while working.
Allow alternative communication patterns to allow the individual to avoid situations that create physical discomfort (e.g., e-mails versus face-to-face meetings)

Difficulty handling stress & emotions

Develop strategies to deal with work problems before they arise
Provide sensitivity training to coworkers
Provide praise and positive reinforcement
Refer to counseling and employee assistance programs
Allow telephone calls during work hours to doctors and others for support
Provide information on counseling and employee assistance programs
Allow the employee to take a break to use stress management techniques to deal with frustration

Difficulty working effectively with supervisors

Provide positive praise and reinforcement
Provide written job instructions
Write clear expectations of responsibilities and consequences of not meeting them
Allow for open communication to managers and supervisors
Provide written work agreements
Develop a procedure to evaluate the effectiveness of the accommodation
Establish written long term and short term goals
Develop strategies to deal with problems before they arise

Difficulty Maintaining Concentration

Reduce distractions clutter in the employee’s work area
Provide space enclosures or a private office
Allow for use of white noise or environmental sound machines
Allow the employee to play soothing music using a cassette player and headset
Increase natural lighting or provide full spectrum lighting
Plan for uninterrupted work time

Difficulty Staying Organized and Meeting Deadlines

Make daily TO-DO lists and check items off as they are completed
Use several calendars to mark meetings and deadlines
Remind employee of important deadlines via memos or e-mail or weekly supervision
Use a watch or pager with timer capability
Use electronic organizers
Divide large assignments into smaller tasks and steps
Assign a mentor to assist employee determining goals and provide daily guidance
Schedule weekly meetings with supervisor, manager or mentor to determine if goals are being met

Fatigue/Weakness

Reduce or eliminate physical exertion and workplace stress
Schedule periodic rest breaks away from the workstation
Allow work from home
Implement ergonomic workstation design
Provide a scooter or other mobility aid if walking cannot be reduced
Provide parking close to the work-site
Install automatic door openers
Make sure materials and equipment are within reach range
Move workstation close to other work areas, office equipment, and break rooms
Reduce noise with sound absorbent baffles/partitions, environmental sound machines, and headsets
Provide alternate work space to reduce visual and auditory distractions
Allow a flexible work schedule and flexible use of leave time

Fine Motor Impairment:

Implement ergonomic workstation design
Provide alternative computer access
Provide alternative telephone access
Provide arm supports
Provide writing and grip aids
Provide a page turner and a book holder
Provide a note taker

Gross Motor Impairment:

Modify the work-site to make it accessible
Provide parking close to the work-site
Provide an accessible entrance
Install automatic door openers
Provide an accessible restroom and break room
Provide an accessible route of travel to other work areas used by the employee
Modify the workstation to make it accessible
Adjust desk height if wheelchair or scooter is used
Make sure materials and equipment are within reach range
Move workstation close to other work areas, office equipment, and break rooms

Hearing & Speech Impairments

Provide a qualified interpreter for certain functions such as training sessions
Provide close-captioned videos for training/instructional purposes
Provide TDD equipment
Provide sensitivity and etiquette training for coworkers
Install visual alarms such as flashing lights
Establish buddy system so a hearing coworker can alert employee to an emergency
Use alternative communications methods (e-mail, written notes, etc).
Provide telephone amplifiers

Maintaining Stamina during the Workday

Flexible scheduling
Allow longer or more frequent work breaks
Provide additional time to learn new responsibilities
Provide self-paced workload
Provide backup coverage for when the employee needs to take breaks
Allow for time off for counseling
Allow employee to work from home during part of the day
Provide for job sharing opportunities
Part time work schedules

Medical Treatment Allowances:

Provide flexible schedules
Provide flexible leave
Allow employee to work from home
Provide part-time work schedules
Allow a self-paced workload with flexible hours

Memory Deficits

Allow the employee to tape record meetings
Provide type written minutes of each meeting
Use notebooks, calendars, or sticky notes to record information for easy retrieval
Provide written as well as verbal instructions
Allow additional training time
Provide written checklists
Provide environmental cues to assist in memory for locations of items, such as labels, color coding, or bulletin boards
Post instructions over all frequently used equipment

Photosensitivity (Sensitivity to light)

Minimize outdoor activities between the peak hours of 10:00 am and 4:00 PM
Avoid reflective surfaces such as sand, snow, and concrete
Provide clothing to block UV rays
Provide "waterproof" sun-protective agents such as sunblocks or sunscreens
Install low wattage overhead lights
Provide task lighting
Replace fluorescent lighting with full spectrum or natural lighting
Eliminate blinking and flickering lights
Install adjustable window blinds and light filters

Physical Limitations

Install ramps, handrails, and provide handicap parking spaces
Install lever style door handles
Clear pathways of travel of any unnecessary equipment and furniture
Install wheelchair-accessible workstations
Problem Solving Deficits
Provide picture diagrams of problem solving techniques, i.e. flow charts
Restructure the job to include only essential functions
Assign a supervisor, manager or mentor to be available when the employee has questions

Respiratory Difficulties:

Provide adjustable ventilation
Keep work environment free from dust, smoke, odor, and fumes
Implement a "fragrance-free" workplace policy and a "smoke free" building policy
Avoid temperature extremes
Use fan/air-conditioner or heater at the workstation
Redirect air conditioning and heating vents

Seizures

Flexibility in work schedule to allow use of public transportation
Job restructuring (e.g., assign driving duties to coworker)
Automatic cutoff switches on machinery
Have a pillow available to support head during seizure
Staff first aid training and first aid posters in workplace
Eliminate strobe-type flashing lights
Install safety shield around machinery
Install soft carpet to cover hard flooring in work area

Skin Irritations:

Avoid infectious agents and chemicals
Provide protective clothing

Sleep Disorder:

Allow flexible work hours
Allow frequent breaks
Allow work from home

Temperature Sensitivity:

Modify work-site temperature
Modify dress code
Use fan/air-conditioner or heater at the workstation
Allow flexible scheduling and flexible use of leave time
Allow work from home during extremely hot or cold weather
Maintain the ventilation system
Redirect air conditioning and heating vents
Provide an office with separate temperature control
Provide a hand mister/sprayer that enables employee to cool off

Visual Problems

Provide written information in large print
Change fluorescent lights to high intensity, white lights
Increase natural lighting
Provide a glare guard for computer monitors
Consult a vision specialist particularly with someone who has lost part of or all of their vision

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This information was developed in partnership with the EmployABILITY program of the City of Los Angeles Community Development Department, created in collaboration with the Los Angeles City Workforce Investment Board, to create career empowerment for persons with disabilities.