You have always known that your employer treated employees with disabilities a little differently in your workplace, but you never expected to be the one dealing with those issues. You broke your leg on an outing, and when you returned to work, your employer was not happy. At first, he didn’t even want to provide you with a seat so that you could rest between helping customers. He claimed that it was because he requires everyone to stand.
You should know that your employer does have to offer reasonable accommodations to you if you’re disabled. An injury, especially a broken leg, limits your mobility, can be painful and may make it harder for you to stand, walk or perform the same work that you did before. So long as your employer can accommodate you in a way that is safe and allows you to continue your job duties, they should not refuse to do so. Your employer may also need to:
- Change your work duties
- Alter the workspaces you use
- Provide you with more time to finish tasks
- Adapt your timelines or deadlines
- Make your schedule more flexible
- Give you the option to work at home, if possible
- Give you time off for medical treatment
It’s not always possible to help someone who was injured stay on the job. Sometimes, doing so would put others at risk or increase the chances of the worker getting hurt again. If accommodations can’t be given safely, then you may want to talk to your employer about other positions or options to pursue.
Our website has more on reasonable accommodations and what they could mean for you.