Accommodation Requests Are Surging. Your Managers Are Not Ready.
Requests for workplace accommodations are rising fast as employees better understand their rights under federal disability laws. Many of these requests now involve mental health conditions, pregnancy-related limitations, and temporary medical needs. The real risk is not the request itself. It is how managers respond in the moment.
More Requests, Less Preparedness
Employees are speaking up more often, and that is not slowing down. What has not kept pace is manager training. Many supervisors still treat accommodation requests as inconveniences instead of legal obligations, which sets the stage for inconsistent and risky responses.
The “Off-the-Cuff” Mistake
This is where employers get into trouble. A manager casually says “we cannot accommodate that” or delays responding because they are unsure what to do. Those informal decisions can be viewed as outright denials under the law, even when no formal process was followed.
The Interactive Process Is Not Optional
Under federal law, employers are expected to engage in an interactive process. That means a thoughtful, back-and-forth discussion to understand the employee’s limitations and explore reasonable accommodations. Skipping this step or treating it as a formality is one of the fastest ways to create legal exposure.
Consistency and Documentation Matter
Accommodation requests should never be handled ad hoc. Without a consistent process, similar requests may be treated differently, which opens the door to discrimination claims. Documentation is equally critical. If it is not documented, it did not happen in the eyes of an investigator.
Get HR Involved Early
Managers should not be making these decisions alone. Involving HR early ensures requests are evaluated properly, options are considered, and responses are documented in a compliant way. It also protects managers from making well-intentioned but costly mistakes.
Accommodation requests are no longer occasional situations. They are a regular part of running a business, and how you handle them will either protect you or expose you. One off decisions, delayed responses, or “gut instinct” calls from managers are exactly what lead to claims, investigations, and expensive outcomes.
This is fixable.
Eilers HR helps you put structure around the chaos. We train your managers on what to say and what not to say, build a compliant interactive process that actually works in real life, and ensure every request is handled consistently and documented properly. No guessing, no scrambling, no avoidable risk.
Because when it comes to compliance, winging it is not a strategy.
Need help preparing?
Book a free consultation with Eilers HR for support with compliance, training, or policy creation.
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Erin Eilers, M.S., PHR
Eilers HR Consulting
erin@eilershr.com | (561) 876-4750
