Narrator (00:02):
This recording is an offering of Networks for Training & Development's Online University.

Tracy Lapreziosa (00:13):
Welcome to podcast five of Accommodations and Assistive Technology on the Job. This is Tracy Lapreziosa and today we're going to be talking about why accommodations and assistive technology are important to the employer. First off, the Americans with Disabilities Act requires that employers provide reasonable accommodations for their employees with disabilities. Assistive technology and universal design items can help provide those reasonable accommodations by making tasks in the workplace accessible for all.

Tracy Lapreziosa (00:43):
So those are the things that we've discussed in the previous podcast, things that you can do to make the workplace accessible by either assistive technology or universal design to the place of employment. So what is reasonable? A reasonable accommodation is modification or an adjustment to the job, the work environment, or the way things are usually done that enables a qualified individual with a disability to enjoy an equal employment opportunity. An equal employment opportunity means that they have the same opportunity for the level of performance and to enjoy equal benefits and privileges of employment that are available to others in the workplace without disabilities.

Tracy Lapreziosa (01:21):
The ADA requires reasonable accommodation in three aspects of employment. First, they need to ensure equal opportunity in the application process. This could be as simple as making sure that the interview location is accessible. If the HR department is typically on the second floor and there's no elevator, a reasonable accommodation would be that the interview would be held on the first floor. Other reasonable accommodations for the application process might be an interpreter. It might be making the written materials more accessible by audio, by braille. So the application process is included in what is required of the employer under ADA. The second area is to enable a qualified individual with a disability to perform the essential functions of the job. And that's where all the AT and universal design that we've discussed previously come into play.

Tracy Lapreziosa (02:10):
And thirdly, to enable an employee with a disability to enjoy equal benefits and privileges of employment. And that means some of the basic things like having access to the cafeteria, accessible restrooms, accessible courtyards, accessible transportation if the job requires transportation as part of the job task. Examples of reasonable accommodations include making existing facilities accessible, job restructuring, part-time or modified work schedules, acquiring or modifying equipment, changing tests, training materials, or policies providing qualified readers or interpreters, or maybe reassignment of a person to a vacant position that might be a better job match.

Tracy Lapreziosa (02:53):
The only legal limitation on an employer's obligation is that the changes or modifications may not cause undue hardship. Undue hardship is considered a significant difficulty, including accommodations that could be overly extensive, expensive, or disruptive, or which could impact the actual running of the business. An employer does not have to provide accommodations unless they are requested. They're not required to lower the quality or production standards. And they do not have to provide an accommodation if the cost is prohibitive and causes undue hardship.

Tracy Lapreziosa (03:30):
However, we know from our previous discussions that many of the accommodations are relatively low cost. So what are the benefits to the employer for having accommodations? First off, the most obvious is that they will be complying with the law, the American Disabilities Act. But secondly, accommodations and assistive technology will increase the safety to the worker and to those around them. And often this technology is of low cost and it's not going to be a burden on the employer. Having accommodations and universal design in the workplace can attract and maintain a diverse workforce, and appeal to a large number of employees [inaudible 00:04:14] design of the items. So the employer's going to have a greater selection of employees. And I think most important is that having accommodations and accessibility, assistive technology improves the productivity rate. If your productivity rate is higher, you're going to be a happier employee.

Tracy Lapreziosa (04:32):
If you're a happy employee, there's going to be higher job retention. Attendance is going to be better. You're going to be more motivated to do your job and just being motivated in the workplace helps to motivate others in the workplace. So there are a number of reasons why accommodations are important to the employer and we've discussed what's reasonable, what's not reasonable.

Tracy Lapreziosa (04:53):
So the assignment for this particular podcast is simple. First off, I would like you to think of an accommodation that would be considered reasonable and why. Maybe it's one that's in the workplace that you are. And then also to think of another accommodation that might be considered unreasonable. And why would that be considered unreasonable? So that concludes podcast five. Please be sure to continue to review all the materials that are in the app. And our next up in this series on accommodations and AT in the workplace will be a series of webinars regarding the HAAT Model, which is a model for choosing assistive technology in the workplace.

Narrator (05:41):
Thank you for listening. We hope the information provided was helpful. Don't forget to stop by our website and take advantage of all we have to offer.