2. Ask your employer for accommodation

You know best what your needs are. Think about things that your employer can do to make things fair for you at work.

Examples of accommodation

Your employer might have to:

change your work area because you have a
provide software or equipment that you need because of your disability
let you take a leave of absence to get treatment for an addiction to drugs or alcohol
adjust your schedule or your work hours for while you recover from an injury or get treatment
change your job duties to ones that you're able to do

These are all examples. Accommodation can be different for different people. It depends on what you need.

How to ask for an accommodation

To get what you need, you must explain why you need it. Make your request to your employer in writing.

You should tell your employer that you need an because you have a disability. But you do not have to tell them what your disability is.

For example, if you're coming back to work after time off for treatment, you might need some things to be different for you. You might only be able to:

do parts of your job
do other kinds of work for your employer
work flexible hours
work fewer hours
work from home

What your employer must do

Your employer must try to make things fair for you. They cannot refuse to give you an accommodation just because they think:

your co-workers or customers will be unhappy
it would be difficult for their business
the accommodation could cost them money

But employers do not have to do things that they can prove will cause them . For example, they do not have to give you an accommodation that would be a health and safety risk.

Get legal help

You may want to get advice about asking your employer for accommodation. You can contact the Human Rights Legal Support Centre for free legal advice and information.

For example, they can help you decide:

what to say to your employer about your disability
what to ask your employer for