As students prepare for internships, campus employment, and careers after Yale, understanding workplace disability rights and reasonable accommodations can be an important part of career preparation.
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), qualified applicants and employees with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodations that enable them to participate in the application process, perform essential job functions, or access the benefits and privileges of employment.
Reasonable accommodations can take many forms depending on an individual’s needs and work environment. Two useful resources for learning more are the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Job Accommodation Network (JAN).
The EEOC provides information about disability discrimination, employment protections, reasonable accommodations, and the rights and responsibilities of applicants, employees, and employers. Students and community members can explore the EEOC’s guide, The ADA: Your Employment Rights as an Individual With a Disability, as well as its broader collection of disability-related resources for employees and employers.
The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) provides free, expert, and confidential guidance about workplace accommodations and disability employment issues. Its Workplace Accommodation Toolkit includes practical information, checklists, examples, and resources for navigating the accommodation process. Additional information is available through the JAN website.
Learning about these resources before entering the workplace can help students better understand available protections, accommodation processes, and where to seek additional information.
#NDEAM #WorkplaceAccessibility #ReasonableAccommodation #ADA #DisabilityEmployment
