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About Long COVID
According to the Centers for Disease Control, some people who have had COVID-19 can experience long-term effects, known as post-COVID conditions or Long COVID and its associated conditions. Long COVID can include a wide range of ongoing health problems and can last weeks, months, or years.
There is no test to diagnose Long COVID, and people may have a wide variety of symptoms that could come from other medical conditions. Also, while most people with Long COVID have evidence of infection or COVID-19 illness, in some cases a person with post-COVID conditions may not have tested positive for the virus or known they were infected. This can make it difficult for health care providers to recognize and diagnose Long COVID.
Some people experience multiorgan effects that can involve many body systems, including the heart, lung, kidney, skin, and brain. As a result of these effects, people who have had COVID-19 may be more likely to develop new health conditions such as diabetes, heart conditions, or neurological conditions compared with people who have not had COVID-19.
Long COVID and the Americans with Disabilities Act
The ADA does not contain a definitive list of medical conditions that constitute disabilities. Instead, the ADA defines a person with a disability as someone who (1) has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more "major life activities," (2) has a record of such an impairment, or (3) is regarded as having such an impairment. For more information about how to determine whether a person has a disability under the ADA, see How to Determine Whether a Person Has a Disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA).
For more information about Long COVID as a disability see:
- What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO Laws, section N.
- HHS and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Guidance on "Long COVID" as a Disability Under the ADA (titles II and III), Section 504, and Section 1557.
Questions to Consider:
- What limitations is the employee experiencing?
- How do these limitations affect the employee and the employee’s job performance?
- What specific job tasks are problematic as a result of these limitations?
- What accommodations are available to reduce or eliminate these problems? Are all possible resources being used to determine possible accommodations?
- Once accommodations are in place, would it be useful to meet with the employee to evaluate the effectiveness of the accommodations and to determine whether additional accommodations are needed?
- Do supervisory personnel and employees need training?
Key Accommodations:
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Provide an alternative mask
- Allow removal of mask when appropriate
- Reduce the physical demands of the job
- Allow rest breaks
- Reduce workplace triggers
- Allow time for medical treatment such as use of a nebulizer or inhaler
- Restructure the job to remove marginal job functions
- Develop a plan of action to deal with sudden exacerbations
- Allow telework
- Allow leave for treatment
Tiredness or fatigue
- Allow rest breaks
- Provide an ergonomic workstation
- Allow a flexible schedule
- Restructure the job to remove marginal job functions
- Allow telework
Difficulty thinking or concentrating (sometimes called "brain fog")
- Provide a quiet workspace
- Allow use of noise cancellation or white noise
- Provide uninterrupted work time
- Provide memory aids such as flowcharts and checklists
- Allow the use of apps for concentration, memory, and organization
- Allow rest breaks
- Restructure the job to remove marginal functions to allow focus on essential job duties
- Allow telework
Depression or anxiety
- Allow a flexible schedule
- Allow rest breaks
- Provide a rest area/private space to manage symptoms
- Allow a support animal
- Allow a support person
- Identify and reduce workplace triggers
- Allow leave for treatment
Insomnia
- Allow rest breaks to take quick naps
- Allow a flexible schedule
- Keep the workstation temperature on the cool side
- Allow cold drinks at the workstation
- Allow telework
Fast-beating or pounding heart (known as heart palpitations)
- Allow rest breaks
- Control the workstation temperature
- Provide an ergonomic workstation
- Allow drinks at the workstation
- Develop a plan of action to deal with sudden exacerbations
- Allow telework
- Allow leave for treatment
Joint or muscle pain
- Allow rest breaks
- Reduce the physical demands of the job
- Provide an ergonomic workstation
- Allow a flexible schedule
- Restructure the job to remove marginal job functions
- Allow telework
- Allow leave for treatment
Headache
- Reduce workplace triggers
- Provide alternative lighting
- Reduce glare
- Allow a flexible schedule
- Allow telework
Accommodation Ideas:
Situations and Solutions:
The following situations and solutions are real-life examples of accommodations that were made by JAN customers. Because accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis, these examples may not be effective for every workplace but give you an idea about the types of accommodations that are possible.
An HR worker with Long COVID was experiencing shortness of breath, which was worsened by fatigue and stress.
As an accommodation, the employer allowed the employee to work a hybrid telework schedule and to take rest breaks when in the office.
An employee with Long COVID was having trouble sleeping.
Their healthcare provider recommended a set 40-hour work week and working from home. The employer granted the request on a trial basis to determine effectiveness.
A business consultant with Long COVID and anxiety was concerned about getting COVID again and having an exacerbation of their current symptoms.
Because their job duties involved face-to-face contact with clients, the employer allowed part-time telework and implemented protocols to limit the employee’s risk of exposure to COVID.
A customer service representative with Long COVID had respiratory issues, including frequent coughing.
They had difficulty talking on the phone for long periods of time. As an accommodation, they were reassigned to a customer service position where they performed job duties using online chat instead of on the phone.
A construction worker with Long COVID was unable to meet the physical demands of their job.
The employer allowed the employee to take a leave of absence for treatment and recovery.
A sales worker with Long COVID was experiencing brain fog and was having trouble recalling information about products when talking with customers over the telephone.
The employer provided an outline of the specifications for each product so the employee could refer to it during calls. The employer also allowed the employee one telework day a week to do paperwork.
A janitor has lasting symptoms of fatigue from having COVID-19.
They were allowed to take frequent, shorter breaks when they were overly tired. No cost.