Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), covered employers are generally required to provide reasonable accommodations for qualified employees with disabilities — and the most reliable way to request one is a written request that uses the terminology the EEOC's framework recognizes. The EEOC, which enforces the ADA, describes a key procedural protection as the "interactive process" — a back-and-forth conversation between the employee and the employer to identify accommodations that allow the employee to perform the essential functions of the job. Many accommodation denials turn out to be procedural rather than substantive: the employee asked verbally without invoking the interactive process, the employer responded informally, and the documentation never captured the request properly. Putting the request in writing resolves most of those procedural defects. The specifics depend on your situation, and these rules can change.
What does federal law say?
Federal law here is the Americans with Disabilities Act, which the EEOC enforces, and it generally requires covered employers to provide reasonable accommodation to a qualified employee with a disability. The ADA generally applies to employers with 15 or more employees, and smaller employers may be covered by state or local law instead. The EEOC describes a disability as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity, and treats a reasonable accommodation as a change to job duties, schedule, equipment, workplace, or policies that lets someone perform the essential functions of the job. Its guidance generally calls for an interactive process, a good-faith back-and-forth between employer and employee, and treats a failure to engage in good faith as something that can itself be a violation. An employer may raise undue hardship as a defense, though the burden of proving it generally sits with the employer.
How these play out depends on your situation, and the figures below can change:
- Who is covered: employers with 15 or more employees, under the ADA. Smaller employers may be covered by state or local law instead.
- Who qualifies: someone the EEOC would describe as having a "disability" — an impairment that substantially limits a major life activity — who can perform the essential functions of the job with or without accommodation.
- What "reasonable accommodation" means: EEOC examples include ergonomic equipment, a modified schedule, remote work, reassignment to a vacant position, a reduced workload, and time off for medical treatment.
- The interactive process: a good-faith conversation to identify accommodations. The EEOC treats an employer's failure to engage in good faith as something that can itself be an ADA violation.
- Undue hardship: significant difficulty or expense, raised by the employer as a defense. The EEOC generally puts the burden of proof on the employer; "we don't want to" is typically not enough.
How do you request an ADA accommodation, step by step?
Most requests move through the same five steps: get clear on the limitation and the job function it affects, line up medical support, put the request in writing using the terms the EEOC's framework recognizes, engage in the interactive process, and confirm the outcome in writing. The written step is the one that does most of the work, because it converts an informal conversation into a dated record that names "reasonable accommodation under the ADA" and the "interactive process." Nothing here requires disclosing a diagnosis — under the EEOC's approach, medical documentation typically focuses on functional limitations and suggested accommodations rather than on what the condition is called. What usually follows is a conversation about whether the request is feasible, whether an alternative would also work, and what documentation is needed, and many people document each exchange as it happens. Every request looks a little different in practice.
1. Identify the disability and the job barrier
Before approaching HR, many people find it helps to get clear with themselves:
- What is the specific limitation? (Cannot lift over 25 lbs, cannot maintain prolonged screen focus, cannot stand for more than 2 hours, etc.)
- Which essential job function does it affect?
- What accommodation would allow you to perform the function?
You don't need to be a doctor or an HR expert to start. It often helps simply to be able to articulate the gap and a reasonable bridge.
2. Many people line up medical support before they ask
A common step is to have a healthcare provider ready to supply documentation that:
- Identifies the impairment (in most cases the EEOC's framework does not require disclosing a specific diagnosis)
- Confirms it substantially limits one or more major life activities
- Suggests reasonable accommodations
The ADA generally does not require an employee to provide a diagnosis; under the EEOC's approach, medical documentation typically focuses on functional limitations and accommodation recommendations. What your specific employer or plan asks for may differ.
3. A common step is to put the request in writing
Many people send an email to HR (cc'ing a manager if appropriate) using the terms the EEOC's framework recognizes: "reasonable accommodation under the ADA" and "interactive process."
"I am writing to request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act. I have a disability that substantially limits [major life activity]. Specifically, I am limited in [functional limitation]. To perform the essential functions of my job, I am requesting the following accommodation(s): [specific request]. I would like to engage in the interactive process to explore options. My healthcare provider can provide supporting documentation upon request. Please respond by [date]."
This single email creates the kind of paper trail that many people rely on for procedural protection.
4. Engage in the interactive process
HR often responds within a reasonable time (commonly 5-10 business days, though this varies). People generally find the conversation focuses on:
- Whether the accommodation as requested is feasible
- Whether alternative accommodations would also work
- Any medical documentation needed
- Any temporary accommodations during the evaluation
It often helps to respond promptly and document each exchange.
5. Confirm the outcome in writing
Whether the accommodation is granted, denied, or modified, many people ask to get the decision in writing. If it's denied, a common step is to request the specific reason — undue hardship, essential-function impact, an alternative accommodation offered, or another basis.
What should you say?
These are the sentences people use at the four moments where an accommodation request tends to stall: the first ask, the reply that opens the interactive process, the reply to an undue-hardship claim, and the reply to an alternative accommodation you did not ask for. None of them commits you to naming a diagnosis, to accepting a substitute, or to giving up the original request — each one asks for a conversation and puts the ask on paper. Sending one is not a complaint or a legal filing; it is the written request the EEOC's framework recognizes, in the language it recognizes. Many people adapt the bracketed parts to their own limitation and their own job, leave the rest close to as written, and send it to HR with a manager copied if that fits their workplace. Your own wording and workplace will shape these. Versions some people adapt:
Initial request:
"I am writing to request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act. I have a condition that substantially limits [activity]. I am requesting [specific accommodation] to enable me to perform the essential functions of my role. I would like to engage in the interactive process and can provide medical documentation upon request. Please respond by [date]."
Engaging the interactive process:
"Thank you for the response. I'd like to understand the options for accommodation. Specifically, can we discuss: (a) the requested accommodation as described, (b) alternative accommodations that would also work, and (c) any temporary accommodations during the evaluation process?"
When the employer claims undue hardship:
"Thank you for the response. Could you help me understand the specific basis for the undue hardship determination — the cost, operational impact, or specific business reason? I'd also like to discuss whether a modified version of the accommodation would address those concerns."
When the employer suggests an alternative you don't want:
"I appreciate the alternative suggestion. Before deciding, I'd like to understand whether the original requested accommodation could be implemented with adjustments. My specific concern with the alternative is [specific concern]. Could we discuss?"
What should you document?
The record that matters is what was asked, when it was asked, and what happened afterward. That generally starts with the initial written request and the medical documentation supporting it — many people keep a personal copy rather than relying on the employer's file — and continues through every written exchange with HR or the accommodation administrator. Verbal conversations are usually captured by sending a short follow-up email summarizing what was said, which turns a conversation into something dated. The other half of the file is about what happened after: performance reviews from before and after the request, any negative employment action that followed, and the final decision in writing. That before-and-after pairing is what makes timing visible later, and the EEOC generally treats adverse actions following a request as potential evidence of retaliation. What people commonly keep:
- Your initial written accommodation request
- The medical documentation supporting the request (keep a personal copy)
- All written communications with HR or the accommodation administrator
- Notes from any verbal conversations (sent as follow-up emails)
- Performance reviews before and after the accommodation request
- Any negative employment actions following the request
- The final decision in writing
When should you escalate?
Escalation usually comes up when the process breaks, not simply when the answer is no. The clearest situations are an employer that refuses to engage in the interactive process at all, one that denies the request without giving a reason, one that demands a specific diagnosis the ADA generally does not require, and one whose treatment of you changes after you disclose. The EEOC generally treats a refusal to engage in good faith as itself an ADA violation, and treats adverse employment actions that follow a request as potential evidence of retaliation, so the timing of what happened is often as important as the decision itself. Deadlines are the other reason people move sooner rather than later: a charge generally has to be filed within 300 days of the adverse action, and 180 days in some states. Which of these fits depends on the facts you have.
Many people consider escalating, and sometimes consulting an attorney, when an employer:
- Refuses to engage in the interactive process. The EEOC's guidance generally treats this as itself an ADA violation. A common step is to document the refusal and consult an attorney.
- Denies the accommodation without explanation. People often request a written explanation; under a failure-to-accommodate theory, the absence of an explanation can support the claim.
- Retaliates after the request. The EEOC generally treats adverse employment actions following an accommodation request as potential evidence of retaliation. Many people document the timing carefully.
- Demands disclosure of your specific diagnosis. The ADA generally does not require diagnosis disclosure — under the EEOC's framework, functional limitations are typically sufficient.
- Treats you differently after disclosure. Demotion, schedule change, removal of responsibilities, exclusion from meetings — the EEOC generally treats these as potential evidence of disability discrimination. Whether that pattern is evidence depends on the facts.
The EEOC generally requires that a charge be filed within 300 days (180 days in some states) of the adverse action. Many states have parallel statutes with longer limitations periods (for example, California's FEHA: 3 years; New York: 3 years), and these deadlines can change. Many people consult an employment attorney well before the deadline approaches, since your state's rules may differ.
Official sources
- U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission — Enforcement Guidance on Reasonable Accommodation and Undue Hardship under the ADA
- U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission — Disability Discrimination resources
- U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission — Filing a Charge of Discrimination