The ability to perform essential job functions, with or without a reasonable accommodation, determines if an applicant or employee with a disability is qualified for the job. Courts have upheld that an employer may decide which functions are essential to the job.
What does it mean to work with or without reasonable accommodation?
A reasonable accommodation is any change in the work environment or in the way a job is performed that enables a person with a disability to enjoy equal employment opportunities. Changes that enable an employee with a disability to enjoy equal benefits and privileges of employment (such as access to training).”
Do you require accommodation to perform the function of the job that you are applying for?
It doesn’t matter if the employee requires an accommodation from the employer to do so: As long as the employee can perform the essential functions of the job, with or without a reasonable accommodation, the employee is protected from discrimination by the ADA.
What qualifies as a disability for reasonable accommodation?
An individual meets the Americans with Disabilities with Act definition act of “disability” that would qualify them for reasonable accommodations if they have “a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities (sometimes referred to in the regulations as an “actual disability”) …
Can you perform the job with or without reasonable accommodations?
When an interviewer asks, “Can you perform the job’s duties with or without reasonable accommodations?” they want to assess the potential employee’s needs. In doing so, the employer can make necessary accommodations for new hires right from the start.
Can a employer ask if you can perform the duties of the job?
An employer can ask if you can perform the duties of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. An employer can also ask you to describe or to demonstrate how, with or without reasonable accommodation, you will perform the duties of the job.
When to ask for accommodations during the hiring process?
Applying for jobs can be stressful for anyone, but for a student with a disability–whether visible or invisible, there are added layers of complexity. Should you disclose? Should you ask for accommodations during the hiring process? Whether or not you choose to disclose, it’s important to be aware of the law.
Why do job applications ask the question,’Can you perform the essential functions?
*this is an extremely simplified explanation of the ADA. The question “Can you perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation?” is a standard question that appears on most U.S. job applications. The question is phrased that way in order to meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
