California reasonable accommodation & interactive process lawyers The workplace, adjusted. For a known disability, California law requires a reasonable change at work, and a real conversation about it.
Four California workplaces, adjusted
Choose a workplace, then a glowing marker.
Under California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act, an employer with five or more employees must reasonably accommodate a known physical or mental disability unless it would cause undue hardship, and must work with you in a timely, good-faith interactive process. If yours ignored you, stalled, or said no without a real conversation, talk to us. We represent workers, exclusively.Gov. Code §§ 12926(d), 12940(m), (n)
Every marked accommodation, as a text list
01Office floor
Desks, meetings, and the focus the work needs.
Sit-stand desk
Helps withSitting, or standing, for long stretches.
The law
Acquiring or modifying furniture, equipment or devices
is one of California’s own examples of a reasonable accommodation.Gov. Code § 12926(p)(2) · 2 CCR § 11065(p)(2)(A)Captioned meetings
Helps withHearing or following spoken words in meetings and calls.
The lawProviding
assistive aids and services such as qualified readers or interpreters
is a listed accommodation. Live captioning is one such aid.Gov. Code § 12926(p)(2) · 2 CCR § 11065(p)(2)(D)A quieter workspace
Helps withConcentrating through noise and interruptions.
The lawListed accommodations include
similar adjustments in the work environment,
changing how a task is done, and modified supervision, such as dividing complex tasks into smaller parts.2 CCR § 11065(p)(2)(A), (G), (J)Working from home
Helps withLimitations that make the commute, or a full week on site, difficult.
The law
Permitting an employee to work from home
is a listed accommodation. It is an option, not a guarantee: your employer may choose a different accommodation that is effective.2 CCR §§ 11065(p)(2)(L), 11068(e)Read the full guide: a California ruling on remote-work requests
02Warehouse bay
Racking, a loading dock, and a shift that has to get done.
Lift-assist equipment
Helps withLifting and carrying.
The lawAcquiring or modifying equipment is a listed accommodation. An employer doesn’t have to lower the standard for an essential duty, but it may have to give you a way to meet it.Gov. Code § 12926(p)(2) · 2 CCR §§ 11065(p)(2)(A), 11068(b)
A modified schedule
Helps withEnergy that changes through the day, or regular treatment appointments.
The law
Part-time or modified work schedules
are named in the statute itself.Gov. Code § 12926(p)(2) · 2 CCR § 11065(p)(2)(F)Restructured tasks
Helps withClimbing or working at height, when it isn’t an essential part of your job.
The lawJob restructuring, including
reallocation or redistribution of non-essential job functions,
is a listed accommodation. A co-worker takes the ladder work; you keep the job.Gov. Code § 12926(p)(2) · 2 CCR § 11065(p)(2)(E)
03Retail floor
Shelves, a register, and a door customers and staff both use.
Stool and anti-fatigue mat
Helps withStanding for a full shift.
The lawNew furniture or equipment is a listed accommodation, and so is
modifying an employer policy,
like a rule against sitting at the register.2 CCR § 11065(p)(2)(A), (I)Accessible entrance and route
Helps withGetting into, around, and out of the workplace.
The lawThe statute’s first example:
Making existing facilities used by employees readily accessible to, and usable by, individuals with disabilities.
Transfer to a more accessible worksite is another.Gov. Code § 12926(p)(1) · 2 CCR § 11065(p)(2)(C)Scheduled breaks
Helps withNeeding short, regular breaks to rest, eat, or manage symptoms.
The lawA modified schedule, a change in when or how a duty is done, and a changed policy are all listed accommodations.2 CCR § 11065(p)(2)(F), (G), (I)
04Clinic corridor
Where nurses, techs and front-desk staff work, and where the conversation happens.
Reassignment to a vacant position
Helps withWhen you can’t do your own job’s essential duties, even with an accommodation.
The lawYour employer must look for
suitable alternate, vacant positions
with you. It isnot required to create a new position,
and if no comparable job is open it may offer a lower-paid one.Gov. Code § 12926(p)(2) · 2 CCR § 11068(d)Leave for treatment and recovery
Helps withTreatment or recovery that needs time away from work.
The lawPaid or unpaid leave can be an accommodation when it is
likely to be effective
in getting you back to work. An employeris not required to provide an indefinite leave of absence.
2 CCR §§ 11065(p)(2)(M), 11068(c)The interactive-process meeting
Helps withEvery kind of limitation. This is where the fit gets worked out.
The lawYour employer must engage in
a timely, good faith, interactive process
and consider your preference. You take part in good faith too.Gov. Code § 12940(n) · 2 CCR § 11069(c), (d)A locked medical file
Helps withKeeping your health information private, whatever you ask for.
The lawEmployers must keep medical information confidential, and generally may not ask for your complete medical records.2 CCR §§ 11071(d)(4), 11069(d)(5)(B)
Examples, not a complete list: California’s own list ends with other similar accommodations.
Which one fits depends on the job and the limitation, and the employer may choose among options that are effective.
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Free Case ReviewReasonable accommodation
Any reasonable change that lets you do the jobThe law’s list is broad, and it ends with “other similar accommodations.”
An accommodation can change the space, the equipment, the schedule, the duties, the rules, or the job itself. Your employer must provide one for a disability it knows about, unless it can prove undue hardship.
Gov. Code §§ 12940(m)(1), 12926(p) · 2 CCR §§ 11065(p)(2), 11068(a)
01The space
- Accessible entrances, break rooms, restrooms and parking
- Transfer to a more accessible worksite
- Bringing an assistive animal to work
02The tools
- New or modified furniture, equipment or devices
- Qualified readers or interpreters, and other assistive aids
- Adjusted exams and training materials
03The time
- A part-time or modified schedule
- Paid or unpaid leave for treatment and recovery
- Working from home
04The job
- Moving non-essential tasks to someone else
- Changing when or how an essential task is done
- Changed supervision, like breaking complex tasks into steps
- A changed policy, or additional training
- Reassignment to a vacant position
Source for every item: Gov. Code § 12926(p) and 2 CCR § 11065(p)(2)(A)–(O).
What the law doesn’t require
- Your first choice, every time. Your employer must consider your preference, but may choose another accommodation that is effective. 2 CCR §§ 11068(e), 11069(c)(8)
- Indefinite leave. Leave can be an accommodation when it’s likely to get you back to work; leave with no end in sight is not required. 2 CCR § 11068(c)
- A brand-new job. Reassignment means a vacant position you’re qualified for. The employer doesn’t have to create one. 2 CCR § 11068(d)
- Dropping essential duties. The employer doesn’t have to lower the standard for an essential function, though it may have to help you meet it. 2 CCR § 11068(b)
The interactive process
A conversation the law requiresTimely. In good faith. With you, not about you.
California makes it unlawful to fail to engage in a timely, good faith, interactive process
to find an effective accommodation. The regulations spell out what each side owes the other. Gov. Code § 12940(n) · 2 CCR § 11069
You raise it, in any words
YouTell your employer you need a change at work because of a medical condition. Employers
CRD fact sheet (July 2026) · 2 CCR § 11069(b)cannot require people to request accommodations in writing or require them to use specific words.
They must also start the process when they learn of the need another way, or when your leave runs out and you still need help.They respond, promptly
Your employerBoth sides exchange information
2 CCR § 11069(a), (c)(2)without delay or obstruction of the process.
If your limitation or need isn’t obvious, the employer may ask for reasonable medical documentation of it.You explore options together
Both of youOptions are identified
2 CCR § 11069(c)(7)–(8), (d)in consultation with
you and weighed for whether they’ll work. Your employer must consider your preference. You cooperate in good faith too.They act, or explain
Your employerThe employer may pick among effective accommodations. If it rejects a request, that must come
2 CCR §§ 11068(e), (j), 11069(c)(1)after due consideration,
with alternatives discussed. Undue hardship is a defense the employer has to prove.
Failing to engage in the interactive process can be a separate claim, apart from failing to accommodate. Courts are divided on whether you must also show that a reasonable accommodation was available, so the facts of your case matter.
Gov. Code § 12940(n) · CACI No. 2546 (2026)When employers break the law
Ignoring a request, or denying it with no discussion.
Gov. Code § 12940(m), (n)Asking for a doctor’s note, then going silent.
2 CCR § 11069(a)Stalling for weeks while you wait.
2 CCR § 11069(a) · EEOC guidance, Q.10Deciding what you can do without asking you.
2 CCR § 11069(c)(7)–(8)Keeping you on leave until you’re “100% healed” with no restrictions.
EEOC, Employer-Provided Leave and the ADAClaiming undue hardship with no real analysis behind it.
2 CCR §§ 11065(r), 11068(j)Demanding your diagnosis or complete medical records.
2 CCR § 11069(c)(3), (d)(5)(B)Cutting hours, disciplining or firing you for asking, granted or not.
Gov. Code § 12940(m)(2), (h)
Undue hardship
The employer’s defense, and the employer’s burden“Inconvenient” is not the legal test.
an action requiring significant difficulty or expense
Undue hardship, as defined in Gov. Code § 12926(u)
It is judged under the totality of the circumstances.
An employer that wants to rely on it has to prove it, and should still look at other accommodations that might work.
2 CCR §§ 11065(r), 11068(e), (j)
What gets weighed
The nature and net cost of the accommodation, counting tax credits, deductions and outside funding.
The resources of the facility involved, how many people work there, and the effect on its operation.
The employer’s overall resources and size, and the number, type and location of its facilities.
The type of operation, including how the workforce is structured.
How separate the facility is, geographically, administratively or financially, from the rest of the business.
2 CCR § 11065(r)(1)–(5); Gov. Code § 12926(u)
Medical questions
What your employer can ask, and what it can’tDescribe the limitation and what would help. You don’t have to name a diagnosis.
It can
- Ask for reasonable medical documentation of the limitation and the need for an accommodation, when either isn’t obvious.2 CCR § 11069(c)(2)
- Ask questions of current employees that are job-related and consistent with business necessity.Gov. Code § 12940(f)
- Require an exam it arranges, if that exam is job-related and consistent with business necessity, or seek a second opinion.2 CCR § 11069(c)(3), (d)(7)
It can’t
- Ask about the underlying medical cause once it has reasonable documentation.2 CCR § 11069(c)(3)
- Ask for unrelated documentation; and generally, not your complete medical records. Its accommodation forms may not ask for a specific diagnosis.2 CCR § 11069(d)(5)(B) · CRD fact sheet (July 2026)
- Share what it learns. Medical information must be kept confidential.2 CCR § 11071(d)(4)
- Ask job applicants about a disability before making a job offer.Gov. Code § 12940(e)
If no accommodation came
Denied, delayed, or let go? You may have a claimEven an accommodation granted late, after needless delay, can be a violation.
Federal guidance warns that unnecessary delays can result in a violation
of the ADA, and California requires a timely process. Depending on what happened, these claims can apply together.
EEOC Enforcement Guidance on Reasonable Accommodation, Q.10 · 2 CCR § 11069(a)
Failure to accommodate
No reasonable accommodation for a known disability, and no undue hardship to excuse it.
Gov. Code § 12940(m)(1) · 42 U.S.C. § 12112(b)(5)(A)Failure to engage
No timely, good-faith interactive process after a request, or after the employer learned of the need.
Gov. Code § 12940(n)Discrimination & retaliation
Treated worse, or let go, because of a disability or because you asked. See disability discrimination, retaliation and wrongful termination.
Gov. Code § 12940(a), (h), (m)(2)Deadlines
- 3 yearsCRD complaint
Generally, to file with the California Civil Rights Department after the unlawful act.Gov. Code § 12960(e)(5)
- 1 yearTo sue
From the date of the CRD’s right-to-sue notice.Gov. Code § 12965
- 300 daysEEOC charge
Generally, for a federal ADA charge in California. The ADA applies to employers with 15 or more employees; FEHA, to employers with 5 or more.EEOC San Francisco · 42 U.S.C. § 12111(5)(A) · Gov. Code § 12926(d)
What you can recover
Depending on the case, remedies can include:
- Back pay: lost wages and benefits
- Front pay: future lost earnings
- Reinstatement
- Damages for emotional distress
- Punitive damages, in cases of malice, oppression or fraud
- Attorney’s fees and costs
CRD, Employment Remedies · Gov. Code § 12965(c)(6) · Civ. Code § 3294
What to do now
Six steps that protect your requestA spoken request counts. A written one is easier to prove.
Ask in writing, and keep a copy
Email or text works. Save what you sent and any reply.
Describe the limitation and what would help
Say what’s hard at work and the change you have in mind. You don’t have to name a diagnosis.
Keep the doctor’s notes you’re allowed to keep
Hold on to copies of work restrictions and notes you gave your employer.
Write down dates, and who said what
Meetings, calls, delays, denials. Notes made at the time carry weight.
Don’t sign a severance release without review
A release can give up the very claims you may have.
Get a free virtual consultation
Call (310) 853-3461 or start a free case review. English or Spanish.
Hi [manager or HR name], I’m writing to request a reasonable accommodation. Because of a medical condition, I have difficulty [the limitation, for example: standing for long periods]. A change that would help me do my job is [what would help, for example: a stool at the register]. I’m open to talking about other options. Please let me know when we can meet to discuss it. Thank you, [Your name] · [Date]
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Results
Recovered for California workers
$200M+Recovered
Combined recoveries in cases handled by our attorneys including employment and injury matters. Every case is different, and past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
$1,200,000
SettlementDisability Discrimination & Wrongful Termination
$1,100,000
Arbitration AwardAssociational Disability Discrimination
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
See all case resultsQuestions
Reasonable accommodation questions, answered
Plain answers to what workers ask us most. Every situation is different; a free virtual consultation is the fastest way to know where you stand.
Do I have to put my request in writing, or use the words “reasonable accommodation”?
No. California’s Civil Rights Department says employers cannot require requests in writing or the use of specific words. Federal guidance agrees: plain English is enough.
A written request is still smart. It gives you a dated record of what you asked for and when.
Do I have to tell my employer my diagnosis?
No. If your limitation or need isn’t obvious, your employer may ask for reasonable medical documentation that confirms it. Its accommodation forms may not ask for a specific diagnosis, it generally may not ask for your complete medical records, and once it has reasonable documentation it may not ask about the underlying medical cause.
Does my employer have to give me the exact accommodation I asked for?
Not necessarily. It must consider your preference, but it may choose a different accommodation as long as that one is effective. If it turns down your request, it should explain and discuss alternatives with you.
Can my employer just put me on leave instead?
Leave can be a reasonable accommodation when it’s likely to let you return to work, and indefinite leave isn’t required. But if a change would let you keep working, that belongs in the conversation. Under federal law, a policy requiring workers to be “100% healed,” with no restrictions, before returning violates the ADA.
What if I can’t do my current job at all?
Reassignment to a vacant position you’re qualified for is a reasonable accommodation, and your employer must look for one with you. It doesn’t have to create a new job, and if no comparable position is open it may offer a lower-paid one.
Is working from home a reasonable accommodation?
It can be. California lists working from home as an example. It isn’t automatic: it has to be effective for the job, and your employer may choose another accommodation that works. Read the full guide on a recent remote-work ruling.
Can I be punished for asking?
No. It is illegal to retaliate against you for requesting an accommodation, whether or not the request was granted.
Does this apply to my employer, and how long do I have?
California’s law covers employers with five or more employees; the federal ADA, employers with 15 or more. You generally have three years to file with the Civil Rights Department, then one year to sue after a right-to-sue notice. A federal EEOC charge generally must be filed within 300 days in California.
Free virtual consultations
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