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Like all employees, people with disabilities need the job tools
and a work environment that will enable them to do their jobs effectively.
While some of these "tools" or the job accommodations they require may be
different from those traditionally used to do a job, they accomplish the same
end--they help qualified employees to do the best jobs they can. Job
accommodations can be an integral part of a successful employment situation for
a person with a disability.
Accommodations are determined on a case-by-case basis. They are
made as a cooperative effort among the employee with a disability, the
employer, and other individuals when appropriate (e.g. the union
representative, the rehabilitation counselor). The main issues to be considered
are the job tasks that must be accomplished, the functional limitations of the
person doing the job, and whether the proposed accommodation will pose an undue
hardship to the employer. Accommodations may include specialized equipment,
facility modifications, adjustments to work schedules or job duties, as well as
a whole range of other creative solutions.
Offered below are examples of accommodations that have been made
for employees. They do not necessarily offer the only or the best way to
accommodate a particular functional limitation, but are given as a starting
point. A good source of ideas is the Office of Disability Employment Policy's
Job
Accommodation Network, a free service. Dial 1-800-526-7234.
Problem: An assembler/operator
with a severe vision limitation had the job of wrapping hose-pipe fittings with
special tape. This required close examination of the work materials. Quality of
work was very important.
Solution: A total view magnifier on an adjustable swivel
base was installed. Cost: $450
Problem: A "quick service"
restaurant grill operator had a severe learning disability; He could not read,
and could recognize only specific single letters on orders for hamburgers.
Solution: Condiment bins were coded with the first letter
of the item so that the worker could match the orders to the bins. In addition,
he was taught three key words ("only," "none," and "plain") through flash card
repetition. Cost: Less than $25
Problem: A technician in the
telephone service industry used a hearing aid. The job duties included
installing and repairing telephone lines, which included using a "butt-in"
portable test phone that was attached to telephone lines being repaired. The
test set interfered with the technician's hearing aid.
Solution: A "butt-in" test set equipped with an audio
speaker was purchased which allowed the worker to test lines without having to
place the test set against the ear. This device was also useful for workers NOT
wearing hearing aids. In addition, the technician was provided with an
amplified tone locator. Cost: $200
Problem: A person with an
attention deficit disorder worked in a packaging facility and was having
problems staying on the task.
Solution: The employer provided a tape recorder with
headphones and cassette tapes which contained music and frequent reminders to
attend to the work. This reduced distractions and helped prompt the individual
to focus on the job. Cost: Less than $200
Problem: A clerk's hand had
two large fingers instead of four fingers and a thumb, and her arms were
unusually short. This made it difficult for her to perform some of her job
duties, including answering incoming phone calls and accessing a computer to
check information for customer service representatives.
Solution: A large button overlay was used on the telephone;
and a ball-shaped device, with a pencil stylus going through it, was used to
facilitate taking messages and typing. Also used was a strap-on hand stylus for
straight typing. Cost: $15
Problem: A productive worker
with schizophrenia that had been diagnosed and treated successfully years
earlier had begun to show radical behavior changes.
Solution: When confidential talks with the employee were
not beneficial, the employee and employer agreed that the employee would meet
with a psychiatrist. The meeting resulted in a change of medication which
regulated the problem behaviors. The employer paid for the counseling session.
Cost: less than $200
Problem: An electro-mechanical
assembly crew member acquired a cumulative wrist/hand trauma disorder which
affected handling and fingering functions. This decreased his ability to use
hand tools for the assembly of electro-mechanical devices.
Solution: A rechargeable electric screwdriver was
purchased, to reduce repetitious wrist twisting. These were subsequently
purchased for all employees as a preventative measure. Cost: $65
Problem: As the result of
diabetes, a productive employee in a retail business was experiencing fatigue,
and needed time during the day to administer medication. She was having
difficulty performing her sales duties for a sustained period of time.
Solution: The employee's schedule was altered to allow for
a longer meal break and for special brief time periods during the day to
administer medication. Cost: $0
Problem: A legal department
secretary in the cable television industry who was legally blind had to perform
such duties as typing, answering telephones, filing and photo-copying.
Solution: The employee was given a specially designed work
table to hold a personal computer, a printer and a VTEK (a large print display
processor which replaces the smaller standard terminal screen), all of which
could be easily accessed. An automatic paper feeder was added to the printer.
Cost: $1,360
Problem: A data entry clerk
had agoraphobia and had difficulty traveling during peak hours of traffic.
Solution: The employee's work hours were changed from 8:30
a.m.-4:30 p.m. to 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. Cost: $0
Problem: A college professor
with AIDS was having vision problems associated with the disability. His
greatest difficulty was in grading student papers.
Solution: A video magnification system was purchased which
facilitated his reading the papers. In addition, students who used the school's
word processing system were asked to provide copies of their papers on computer
diskette. This allowed the professor to utilize a computer speech synthesis
system which the school had already purchased for students and staff with
vision problems. Cost: $2,600
Problem: A sales manager in a
computer supply company was diagnosed with severe chronic depression. Although
treatment had been initiated, she continued to experience bouts of crying
during times of stress.
Solution: After discussion with her employer, she was
provided with the use of a small room for privacy. This room previously had
been used to store office supplies. When she felt the need, she could take a
break and use this private area to compose herself. A new cabinet was purchased
to store the office supplies. Cost: $200
Problem: A large grocery store
wanted to hire an individual with Down Syndrome and a mild hearing loss as a
bagger/stock person. The concern was that he would not be able to hear the
paging loudspeaker system that was used to call employees to different parts of
the store for work assignments.
Solution: A personal paging device, which was worn on the
wrist or belt and which vibrated when activated by an incoming signal, was
purchased for the employee. When signaled, the employee immediately went to the
office for specific instructions. In this way, the employer could be sure that
the employee both heard and understood his assigned tasks. Cost: $350
Problem: A clerk whose job
duties included delivering files and paperwork to various areas in a multistory
building had multiple sclerosis which gradually made it very difficult to move
quickly and to carry heavy packages.
Solution: A lightweight, motorized three-wheeled scooter
with a basket was purchased for the employee. Cost: $2,000
October 1993 |
