What should I do if I can no longer continue working due to a disability?

If a disability prevents you from performing some or all of your job duties, your employer may be able to take steps to allow you to continue working. Under California and federal law, employers are required to offer reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities. Reasonable accommodations are measures that allow an employee with disabilities to continue doing the essential functions of their job.
 
There are many different types of reasonable accommodations. Some examples are restructuring job duties, providing a modified work schedule, making the workplace more accessible, offering assistive equipment or devices, or reassigning the worker to a more suitable vacant position, among others. Employers have a duty to provide accommodations as long as they do not result in undue hardship on the business, like extra costs.
 
The reasonable accommodations should be considered via an interactive process of communication between the employer and the employee. The employee’s health care representative should also be part of the discussion to provide information about the employee’s job-related limitations.
 
It is unlawful for an employer to retaliate against an employee who requests accommodations for their disability. Disability laws are complex, and it may not always be easy to identify disability discrimination in the workplace. Discuss your situation with a knowledgeable employment law attorney who can help you determine if your employer is treating you fairly.

Other Disability Discrimination FAQs:

• Are employers allowed to deny reasonable accommodations?
• Is an employer allowed to ask a job applicant about their disability?
• My employer denied my request for a reasonable accommodation because of “undue hardship.” What does undue hardship mean?
• What are some examples of reasonable accommodation?
• What is an interactive process?
• What should I do if I can no longer continue working due to a disability?