What Must an Employer Do to Accommodate an Employee or Job Applicant Who Has a Disability in Connecticut?

author by Joseph C. Maya on Feb. 20, 2024

Employment 

Summary: What Must an Employer Do to Accommodate an Employee or Job Applicant Who Has a Disability in Connecticut?

Under federal law, a disabled person is one who: (a) has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities; and (b) has a record of such an impairment or is regarded as having such an impairment.  Employers must provide “reasonable accommodation” to qualified employees or applicants, if such an accommodation is necessary for the employee to be able to do his or her job.  A qualified employee or applicant is an individual who can perform the essential functions of the job with or without a reasonable accommodation.

What is a reasonable accommodation?

A reasonable accommodation may include, for example, altering existing facilities to make them accessible to the disabled employee, modifying the employee’s work schedule, assigning them to a vacant position, or acquiring equipment that will allow the disabled employee to perform their job.  For example, a reasonable accommodation for an employee with diabetes who requires insulin injections may be to give the employee access to an office or other enclosed area where he or she may administer the insulin injections in private.

An employer is required to make a reasonable accommodation to a qualified applicant or employee provided that it does not impose an “undue hardship” on the employer’s business.  An undue hardship is an action requiring significant difficulty or expense when considered in light of such factors as the employer’s size, resources and the nature and structure of the employer’s operation.


Maya Murphy P.C. has proudly been included in the 2024 Edition of Best Law Firms®, ranked among the top firms in the nation. In addition, Managing Partner Joseph C. Maya has been selected to The Best Lawyers in America® 2024 for his work in Employment Law and Education Law in Connecticut. Recognition in Best Lawyers® is awarded to firms and attorneys who demonstrate excellence in the industry, and is widely regarded by both clients and legal professionals as a significant honor.

Our firm in Westport, Connecticut serves clients with legal assistance all over the state, including the towns of: Ansonia, Beacon Falls, Bethany, Bethel, Branford, Bridgeport, Brookfield, Cheshire, Danbury, Darien, Derby, East Haven, Easton, Fairfield, Greenwich, Guilford, Hamden, Madison, Meriden, Middlebury, Milford, Monroe, Naugatuck, New Canaan, New Fairfield, New Haven, Newton, North Branford, North Haven, Norwalk, Orange, Oxford, Prospect, Redding, Ridgefield, Seymour, Shelton, Sherman, Southbury, Stamford, Stratford, Trumbull, Wallingford, Waterbury, West Haven, Weston, Westport, Wilton, and Woodbridge. In addition to assisting clients in Connecticut, our firm handles education law and employment law matters in New York as well. 

If you have any questions about employment law or education law in Connecticut, or would like to speak to an attorney about a legal matter, please contact Joseph C. Maya and the other experienced attorneys at Maya Murphy, P.C. at (203) 221-3100 or JMaya@Mayalaw.com to schedule a free initial consultation today.

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