Workplace Accommodations: Requesting What You Need
Reasonable accommodations can make a real difference in your ability to do your job well, and requesting them is a legal right for many neurodivergent employees, not a favor you’re asking for.
The legal basics
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires most employers with 15 or more employees to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified employees with a disability, including autism, ADHD, and many other neurodevelopmental and mental health conditions, as long as the accommodation doesn’t cause genuine undue hardship to the business. You generally do not need to disclose your specific diagnosis to request an accommodation, only that you have a condition that limits a major life activity and explain what you need.
Common accommodations worth considering
- Written instructions in addition to verbal ones, to reduce reliance on working memory alone
- Flexible scheduling or the ability to work during your most productive hours where the role allows it
- A quieter workspace, noise-canceling headphones, or permission to work from a less stimulating location
- Modified lighting, such as reduced fluorescent lighting or use of a desk lamp instead of overhead lights
- Extra processing time in meetings, or receiving meeting agendas in advance
- Permission to use fidget tools or take movement breaks during the workday
- Clear, specific performance expectations in writing, rather than informal or implied standards
- Reduced or restructured small talk expectations in roles where this isn’t core to the job function
How to make the request
Put it in writing. Even after a verbal conversation, follow up with an email summarizing what you discussed and requested. This creates a clear record and a date the request was made.
Focus on the function, not the diagnosis. You can frame requests around what helps you do your job well: “I work best with written follow-ups after verbal meetings” rather than needing to explain the underlying reason in detail, unless you choose to.
Bring documentation if requested. Employers can ask for documentation from a healthcare provider supporting the need for an accommodation, though they generally cannot demand your full diagnosis or medical record, only confirmation relevant to the specific accommodation.
Know that this is an interactive process. If your specific request isn’t feasible, the employer is generally expected to work with you toward an alternative that still meets your underlying need, not simply deny the request outright.
If you’re not sure whether to disclose at all
Disclosure is a genuinely personal decision, and there’s no single right answer. Some people request accommodations without ever naming a specific diagnosis. Others find that naming it directly leads to better understanding and support from a manager. Consider your specific workplace culture, your relationship with your manager, and your own comfort level, and know that you’re allowed to share only what’s necessary to get the support you need.
If a request is denied
Ask for the reasoning in writing. If you believe the denial isn’t reasonable, organizations like the Job Accommodation Network (a free, federally funded service) can provide guidance specific to your situation, and in some cases, formal complaints can be filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Key words to know
Reasonable accommodation: A change to the work environment or how a job is done that helps a qualified employee with a disability perform their role.
Interactive process: The back-and-forth conversation between employee and employer required by law when working out an accommodation.
Undue hardship: The legal standard an employer must meet to justify denying an accommodation, generally a high bar to clear.