Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, employers are required to provide reasonable accommodations to allow qualified disabled persons to perform the essential functions of their jobs. What happens when an employee requests an accommodation for a medical condition that does not prevent them from performing such tasks? Take for example an employee who asks for an ergonomic chair to assist with a back condition that causes pain, but does not materially impede work performance. Or, an employee’s doctor requests an isolated workspace to address anxiety issues, although the medical information does not state that this accommodation is necessary to complete her job functions. Could the employer decline the accommodation request on the grounds that it is not required to allow the employee to perform essential job functions?

In general, federal courts and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission have not limited employers' accommodation obligations under the ADA to job performance. The ADA also requires employers to allow disabled persons to enjoy equal employment opportunities and benefits of employment, not merely accommodations that prevent job failure. If an employee’s chronic pain can be alleviated through a reasonable accommodation, the employer cannot insist that the employee work through pain that would not affect a similarly situated non-disabled co-worker.

These accommodation obligations are not open ended. For example, if the requested accommodation is a preference or convenience not related to the employee’s medical condition, the employer would not be under any obligation to agree, even if the measure does not create an undue hardship. However, telling an employee to "tough it out" when a feasible accommodation is available, is both a bad employee relations move as well as an invitation for a legal claim.

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