Supporting employees through reasonable accommodations: A guide for supervisors

This resource provides supervisors with guidance on how to recognize, respond to, and support employee requests for reasonable accommodations related to disabilities, chronic medical conditions, or pregnancy. It explains supervisors’ responsibilities—such as maintaining confidentiality, involving the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR), and helping implement approved accommodations—while outlining what supervisors should and should not do throughout the process.

If an employee in your unit is having difficulty performing their job due to a disability, chronic medical condition, or pregnancy-related limitation, we need to consider whether a reasonable accommodation may be appropriate. 

As a supervisor, it is important to understand your role in the accommodation process, including how to recognize and respond to a potential accommodation request, how to appropriately handle confidential medical information, and other additional responsibilities.

Reasonable Accommodations

A reasonable accommodation is a change to the way things are usually done at work. The accommodation helps a qualified employee (or job applicant) with a disability or pregnancy-related limitation. This can include help to apply for a job, perform their job duties, or have access to the workplace that is equal to those without disabilities. An accommodation is meant to help without causing significant difficulty or disruption in the workplace or, for disability-related requests, posing a direct threat. 

If you receive such a request, you should consult your Divisional Disability Representative (DDR), who manages reasonable accommodations and medical leave within your school, college, division, or administrative unit. 

Recognizing a Request 

Any employee might directly share with you that they have a disability and would like to request accommodations. Other times, a request might not be so obvious. 

Watch for situations where an employee makes a link between workplace difficulties and a disability, chronic medical condition, or pregnancy-related -related limitation. 

For example: 

During a performance review an employee states more severe migraines are preventing them from meeting deadlines.

An employee asks for more frequent restroom breaks because they are pregnant.

You receive a medical note that says your employee is unable to shovel snow.

An employee says she’s been late for work because of her medical appointments.

It’s obvious that a new employee in your unit will not be able to reach high shelves because she uses a wheelchair.

Responding to a Request 

When an employee raises a concern that might be an accommodation request, your role is to: 

Listen and acknowledge their concern.

Do not ask for medical details or attempt to diagnose the situation.

Connect the employee with your Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) to begin the accommodation process

You also reach out to the DDR to share the employee’s information.

Avoid making commitments about what accommodations can or cannot be provided.

Maintain confidentiality and share information only with your DDR.

Confidentiality 

Supervisors must protect all confidential medical information. This includes any written or verbal information – from any source – about an applicant’s or employee’s disability, chronic medical condition, or pregnancy-related limitation. Information may be considered confidential even if it does not include a diagnosis, treatment details, or documentation from a healthcare provider. The fact that an employee has requested or is receiving a reasonable accommodation is also confidential and may not be shared with others. Please note that documentation or information that is received about routine use of sick time due to an acute illness such as a cold or flu does not fall into the category of required confidentiality and confidential record retention.  

You can find more information in the KB: "Confidentiality and reasonable accommodation"

Supervisor Do’s and Don'ts 

Do 

Share medical or accommodation-related information only with your Divisional Disability Representative (DDR).

Focus on the employee’s job-related needs, not the medical reason behind them.

Redirect employees if conversations they are having about confidential medical details becomes disruptive, consulting first with your DDR.

Consult your DDR if you think that someone else has a need to know about the accommodation in order to evaluate a request or implement an approved reasonable accommodation.

  Do Not: 

Ask if someone has a disability, medical condition, or ask questions about pregnancy.

Ask about an employee or job applicant’s medical information, diagnoses, or documentation.

Store medical information that is not related to routine use of sick time for short-term illness in departmental files, notes, or performance documents.

Include comments about an employee’s reasonable accommodation or medical leave in their performance review.

Share or disclose that an employee has requested or received a reasonable accommodation.

Discuss medical information with anyone other than your DDR (this includes your own supervisor).

What You Can Ask 

“What do you need to do your job?”

This question keeps the discussion focused on the job and not medical details. 

Evaluating the accommodation request 

Once the DDR knows of the accommodation request, they will begin the interactive process—an informal, problem-solving process. As required the ADA and PWFA, accommodations are determined on a case-by-case basis because each person’s situation is unique.  

As part of this process the DDR will typically talk with you to understand the employee’s essential job functions and to discuss possible accommodation ideas. Your DDR may also work with you to identify work the employee can do while the interactive process is underway. While your input is an important part of the process, the DDR has the authority for making final decisions regarding reasonable accommodation requests.  

Implementing the approved reasonable accommodation  

Once a reasonable accommodation is approved you will often play a key role in implementing it in a timely manner.  You will also partner with the DDR and the employee to evaluate how well the accommodation is working. Your involvement helps support the employee while ensuring the accommodation aligns with operational needs.  

Consult Early and Often! 

Your DDR really wants to hear from you whenever you recognize a possible accommodation request, or if you think that a disability, chronic medical condition or pregnancy-related limitation is contributing in any way to performance, conduct, or attendance issues. 

Contact your DDR when an employee: 

gives or emails you a doctor’s note related to a medical restriction, ongoing condition, or request for workplace support (not routine sick leave for short-term illness)