“Accommodations and Compliance: Low Cost, High Impact” analyzes employer initiatives
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Labor today announced that a new report finds that nearly half of workplace accommodations for disabilities can be made at no cost to employers, and that for those that require a one-time fee, the average expense has decreased to just $300 compared to previous reports.
A newly released report by the Job Accommodations Network, a service of the Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy, “Accommodations and Compliance: Low Cost, High Impact,” analyzes survey data collected from employers from 2019 to 2022. The survey used an online questionnaire to collect cost information from employers, resulting in a significant increase in the number and diversity of responses. Prior to 2019, JAN collected cost information through one-on-one phone calls. Employers across a wide range of industries and sizes initially contacted JAN seeking information about workplace accommodations and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
In addition to gathering information on the costs of accommodations, the study also explores employers’ motivations for making accommodations, the effectiveness of accommodations, and the benefits they provide. Findings from the report include:
More than half of employers have made accommodations to retain valued employees. 68.4 percent of employers said their accommodations were very or extremely effective after consulting with JAN. An additional 18.3 percent of employers said their accommodations were somewhat effective after consulting with JAN. Direct and indirect benefits of making accommodations include retaining valued employees, increased productivity and morale, reduced workers’ compensation and training costs, and increased workforce diversity.
“This report confirms what Job Accommodation Network has repeatedly observed in our work: that accommodations for workers with disabilities are indeed a low-cost, high-impact strategy to support and retain valuable talent,” explained Assistant Secretary for Disability Employment Policy Taryn M. Williams. “The report also reinforces the importance of JAN’s role in helping employers understand the options available to them and implement workable solutions that work for both their employees and their organizations as a whole.”
An accommodation is a change in the work environment or the customary way of doing a job so that a qualified individual with a disability can enjoy equal employment opportunities. Under the ADA, covered employers must provide reasonable accommodations at the request of applicants and employees with disabilities, absent undue hardship.
Funded by ODEP, JAN is the leading organization providing free, expert, and confidential guidance on workplace accommodations and other disability employment issues. JAN helps businesses of all sizes determine effective accommodations for a variety of situations and how to support workers suffering from Long COVID.
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