Reasonable Accommodation Lawyers
Reasonable Accommodation Obligations Under California and Federal Law
Reasonable accommodation disputes are a frequent source of employment litigation and often arise from well-intentioned but imperfect efforts to address employee medical or disability-related issues. Under both California and federal law, employers are required to engage in a process to evaluate whether an employee with a disability can be reasonably accommodated. Disputes commonly focus not only on the outcome, but on whether the employer handled the process correctly.
Akopyan Law Firm, A.P.C. stands ready to represent businesses navigating reasonable accommodation disputes under California law and applicable federal statutes. Each attorney at Akopyan Law Firm, A.P.C. has more than 20 years of employment law experience handling complex employment disputes involving accommodation and disability-related claims.
State and Federal Accommodation Requirements
In California, reasonable accommodation and related claims are governed primarily by the Fair Employment and Housing Act. At the federal level, similar obligations arise under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Both laws require employers to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities, unless doing so would impose an undue hardship.
Although the legal frameworks overlap, California law is broader in scope and often more demanding. Employers may face claims under one or both laws, and disputes frequently turn on how the employer approached the accommodation process rather than whether a particular accommodation was ultimately provided.
The Interactive Process and Why It Matters
Central to reasonable accommodation law is the interactive process. This is an ongoing, good-faith dialogue between the employer and the employee to identify effective accommodations. Courts closely examine whether the employer engaged meaningfully in this process, communicated with the employee, and considered options before reaching a decision.
Breakdowns in the interactive process are a common basis for liability. Even where no reasonable accommodation ultimately exists, an employer may still face exposure if it failed to participate in the process adequately or prematurely ended discussions. As a result, interactive process claims often stand on their own, separate from discrimination allegations.
What the Interactive Process Typically Involves
The interactive process generally begins when an employer becomes aware of a potential need for accommodation. This awareness may arise from a formal request, medical documentation, or information learned through conversation or observation. Once triggered, the process requires ongoing communication, exchange of information, and consideration of possible adjustments.
Disputes often arise when employers delay responses, fail to follow up, or rely on assumptions about what an employee can or cannot do. Courts tend to focus on whether the employer remained engaged and open to discussion, rather than on rigid adherence to any particular formula.
Types of Reasonable Accommodations Employers May Consider
Reasonable accommodations can take many forms depending on the nature of the job and the employee’s limitations. Common examples include modified work schedules, temporary or permanent changes to job duties, assistive devices or equipment, remote or hybrid work arrangements, modified workstations, or changes to workplace policies.
Other accommodations may involve leaves of absence, restructuring how tasks are performed, reassignment to a vacant position, or providing additional training or support. No single accommodation is required in every situation. The law generally allows employers to choose among effective options, provided the accommodation enables the employee to perform essential job functions.
Undue Hardship and Business Limitations
Employers are not required to provide accommodations that impose an undue hardship. Determining what constitutes undue hardship depends on factors such as the nature and cost of the accommodation, the size and resources of the business, and the impact on operations.
Disputes often arise over whether an accommodation was truly unreasonable or whether the employer failed to explore alternatives. These issues are highly fact-specific and frequently become the focus of litigation when accommodation requests are denied.
How Reasonable Accommodation Claims Turn Into Litigation
Accommodation disputes often escalate when communication breaks down or when an adverse employment action follows closely after an accommodation request. Claims may include allegations of failure to accommodate, failure to engage in the interactive process, discrimination, or retaliation.
Because these cases are driven by timelines, communications, and credibility, employers may face significant exposure even where the underlying intent was to comply with the law.
Representation in Reasonable Accommodation Matters
Akopyan Law Firm, A.P.C. stands ready to represent businesses dealing with reasonable accommodation and interactive process disputes under California and federal law. With decades of employment law experience per attorney, the firm understands how accommodation claims develop, how they are evaluated by courts and agencies, and how they can be effectively addressed.
The firm provides experienced representation focused on resolving disputes efficiently while protecting the business from unnecessary exposure.
To discuss a reasonable accommodation issue affecting your business, contact Akopyan Law Firm, A.P.C. for a confidential consultation.
Areas Served:
The litigation and trial attorneys of the Akopyan Law Firm, A.P.C. provide services throughout Southern California including but not limited to Adelanto, Agoura Hills, Alhambra, Aliso Viejo, Altadena, Anaheim, Apple Valley, Arcadia, Arleta, Atwater Village, Azuza, Bakersfield, Baldwin Park, Banning, Beaumont, Bell, Bell Gardens, Bellflower, Beverly Hills, Blythe, Boyle Heights, Brea, Brentwood, Buena Park, Burbank, Calabasas, Calimesa, Camarillo, Canoga Park, Canyon Lake, Carson, Carlsbad, Cathedral City, Cerritos, Chatsworth, Chino Hills, Chino, Chula Vista, Claremont, Coachella, Colton, Compton, Costa Mesa, Corona, Coronado, Covina, Culver City, Cypress, Dana Point, Del Mar, Desert Hot Springs, Diamond Bar, Downey, Duarte, Eagle Rock, East Hollywood, East Los Angeles, Eastvale, Echo Park, El Cajon, El Monte, El Segundo, El Sereno, Encinitas, Encino, Escondido, Fontana, Fountain Valley, Fullerton, Gardena, Garden Grove, Glassell Park, Glendale, Glendora, Granada Hills, Hacienda Heights, Hawthorne, Hemet, Hesperia, Highland Park, Highland, Hollywood, Hollywood Hills, Huntington Beach, Huntington Park, Imperial Beach, Indian Wells, Indio, Inglewood, Irvine, Jurupa Valley, La Canada Flintridge, La-Crescenta Montrose, La Habra, La Mesa, La Mirada, La Palma, La Puente, La Quinta, La Verne, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lakewood, Lake Balboa, Lake Elsinore, Lake Forest, Lancaster, Lawndale, Lemon Grove, Lincoln Heights, Loma Linda, Long Beach, Los Alamitos, Los Angeles, Los Feliz, Lynwood, Manhattan Beach, Mar Vista, Maywood, Menifee, Mission Hills, Mission Viejo, Monrovia, Montclair, Montebello, Monterey Park, Moorpark, Moreno Valley, Murrieta, National City, Newbury Park, Newhall, Newport Beach, Norco, North Hills, North Hollywood, Northridge, Norwalk, Oceanside, Ontario, Orange, Oxnard, Pacific Palisades, Pacoima, Palos Verdes, Palmdale, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Panorama City, Paramount, Pasadena, Perris, Pico Rivera, Placentia, Pomona, Porter Ranch, Rancho Cucamonga, Rancho Mirage, Rancho Santa Margarita, Redondo Beach, Reseda, Rialto, Riverside, Rosemead, Rowland Heights, San Bernardino, San Clemente, San Diego, San Dimas, San Gabriel, San Fernando, San Jacinto, San Juan Capistrano, San Pedro, Santa Ana, Santa Clarita, San Marcos, Santa Monica, Santee, Sawtelle, Seal Beach, Shadow Hills, Sherman Oaks, Silver Lake, Simi Valley, South El Monte, South Gate, South Pasadena, South Whittier, Stanton, Studio City, Sun Valley, Sunland, Sylmar, Tarzana, Temecula, Temple City, Thousand Oaks, Toluca Lake, Torrance, Tujunga, Tustin, Twentynine Palms, Upland, Valencia, Valley Glen, Valley Village, Van Nuys, Ventura, Victorville, Vista, Walnut, West Covina, West Hills, West Hollywood, West Puente Valley, Westchester, Westminster, Westwood, Whittier, Wildomar, Winnetka, Woodland Hills, Yorba Linda