What does JAN do for employers?
JAN provides free and confidential consultation for employers of all sizes and types (e.g., private, federal, state, or local government, etc.). This consultation includes practical guidance on workplace accommodation solutions, accommodation process strategies, and the employment provisions (Title I) of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and related legislation. JAN cannot provide legal advice, but can provide information and resources from the federal agency that enforces Title I, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).
Employers may access JAN services by calling 800-526-7234, by emailing, submitting a JAN on Demand, or by using the Employer Live Chat.
What is the difference between EEOC resources and legal advice?
EEOC guidance and resource documents express official EEOC policy and explain how the laws and regulations apply to specific workplace situations, but do not have the force and effect of the law. This means that if one of your employees files a lawsuit against you for ADA discrimination, the court may or may not choose to follow EEOC guidance and resource documents.
Legal advice is given by an attorney after the attorney does legal research, which involves reviewing the law, regulations, and prior court cases and making a legal determination about a specific situation. This is what an attorney will use to argue for a client.
What good are EEOC guidance and resource documents if they are not the law?
Although EEOC guidance and resource documents do not have the force and effect of the law, courts often defer to them. And, many employers follow them to show they are making a good faith effort to comply with the ADA.
JAN offers information about various accommodation and ADA topics. The following resources include information about accommodations, ADA general responsibilities, processing accommodation requests, developing accommodation policies and procedures, and more. If you have questions, please contact JAN.
Workplace Accommodation Toolkit
JAN's Workplace Accommodation Toolkit is a free, comprehensive online resource for employers seeking to move beyond basic compliance with the ADA in order to create more disability-inclusive workplaces. The Toolkit provides guidance and resources for developing or updating accommodation policies and processes while leveraging best and emerging practices for creating an inclusive workplace and accommodating people with disabilities during all phases of the employment life cycle. Within the Toolkit, one can find specific resource drawers for:
- Recruiters and Hiring Managers
- Supervisors and Managers
- Internal Reasonable Accommodation Subject Matter Experts (SME)/Consultants
- Information Technology Team Members
- Employees with Disabilities and their Allies
General Accommodation Information
JAN offers individualized consultation regarding accommodation topics, but these AskJAN.org resources are a place to start:
- A to Z search by:
- Disability
- Limitation
- Work-related Function
- Topic
- Accommodation
- SOAR (Searchable Online Accommodation Resource)
- Workplace Accommodations: Low Cost, High Impact
- Contact JAN for free consultation
General ADA Information
- ADA Library
- Employers' Practical Guide to Reasonable Accommodation Under the ADA
- Employers' Practical Guide to Reasonable Accommodation During the Hiring Process
- A to Z search by Topic
Other Resources:
- Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) – The ADA: Your Responsibilities as an Employer
- EEOC – Facts About the Americans with Disabilities Act
- EEOC – Enforcement Guidance, Fact Sheets, and Advisory Letters
Developing Policies and Procedures
- Five Practical Tips For Providing And Maintaining Effective Job Accommodations
- Interactive Process
- Making a Statement – About Reasonable Accommodation and Equal Opportunity
- Sample Forms
- Sample Accommodation Policies, Processes, Forms
- Workplace Accommodation Toolkit
Other Resources:
- EEOC – Reasonable Accommodation Internal Procedures (can be used as a model)
- EEOC – Practical Advice for Drafting and Implementing Reasonable Accommodation Procedures under Executive Order 13164 (for federal agencies, but other employers can use as a model)
- EEOC – Establishing Procedures to Facilitate the Provision of Reasonable Accommodation (for federal agencies, but other employers can use as a model)
Processing Accommodation Requests for Hiring
- Employers' Practical Guide to Reasonable Accommodation During the Hiring Process
- Accommodation Scenarios for the Interviewing Process
- Employment Testing and the ADA
- Finding an Interpreter for an Interview
- Hiring Process Reasonable Accommodation Flowchart
- Incorporate Reasonable Accommodation Practices into your Onboarding Process
- Job Application/Interview Stage Dos and Don’ts
- Online Application Systems: Sample Language for Accommodation Statements
- Sample Medical Inquiry Form in Response to an Accommodation Request for the Hiring Process
- Sample Reasonable Accommodation Request Form for the Hiring Process
- Sample Reasonable Accommodation Statements for the Hiring Process
- Streamlining the Interactive Process When Accommodating Job Applicants
- Testing Accommodations
Other Resources:
Processing Accommodation Requests from Employees
- Definition of Disability
- Interactive Process
- Recognizing an Accommodation Request Under the ADA
- Sample Forms
- Medical Documentation
- A Flexible Approach to ADA Medical Documentation
- Affirmative Action and Disability: What Can Employers Ask?
- Avoiding “The Waiting Place” After Requesting Medical Information
- Medical Inquiry in Response to an Accommodation Request and Sample Form
- Mother May I? Must I? Should I?
- Recertifying the Ongoing Need for Accommodation
- Requests for Medical Documentation and the ADA
- Who Can Provide Medical Documentation for ADA Purposes?
- Workplace Flexibility, the ADA, and Requesting Medical Information
- Specific Types of Accommodation Requests (general list)
Other Resources:
- EEOC – Applying Performance and Conduct Standards to Employees with Disabilities
- EEOC – Disability-Related Inquiries and Medical Examinations of Employees
- EEOC – Employer-Provided Leave and the ADA
- EEOC – Preemployment Disability-Related Questions and Medical Examinations
- EEOC – Reasonable Accommodation and Undue Hardship Under the ADA
- EEOC – What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and Other EEO Laws
- EEOC – What You Should Know About the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act
- Wage and Hour – Family and Medical Leave Act
Promoting Diversity and Inclusion
- Disclosure (overview and resources)
- ABCs of Inclusion
- Disability Etiquette
- If We Had Known…
- Workplace Accommodation Toolkit
Other Resources:
- Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability Inclusion (EARN) – Inclusion@Work: A Framework for Building a Disability-Inclusive Organization
- EARN – Lead the Way: Inclusive Business Culture
- ODEP's "Mental Health and the Federal Workplace: What Can I Do?" Video
- ODEP's "Mental Health and the Federal Workplace: What Can I Do?" Guide for Federal Managers, Supervisors and Employees
- The Partnership on Employment & Accessible Technology (PEAT) – AI & Disability Inclusion Toolkit
- Questions & Answers: Promoting Employment of Individuals with Disabilities in the Federal Workforce (for federal agencies, but other employers can use as a model)
Training and Certification
- JAN Training Products and Services (overview and resources)
- Accommodation and Compliance Webcast Series
- Webcast Series Library
- Training Modules
- Role Play Training Videos
- Solution Showcase Videos
- Webcast Playlists
Other Resources: JAN does not endorse or promote these training resources
- ADA Coordinator Training Certification Program (Titles I, II, and III)
- ADA National Network – ADA Training
- Disability Management Employer Coalition (DMEC) Certification and Training
- EARN – Dinah Cohen Learning Center
- EEOC – Outreach, Education, and Technical Assistance
- HR Certification – ADA Training and Certification Program
- PEAT – Digital Accessibility Training
What does JAN do for individuals with disabilities?
JAN helps individuals with disabilities explore accommodation ideas and provides practical suggestions for requesting and negotiating accommodations with an employer. JAN also provides basic information about the employment provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), called Title I. This information comes from resources provided by the federal agency that enforces Title I, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). JAN cannot provide legal advice or legal advocacy and does not have authority to enforce the law.
What is the difference between EEOC resources and legal advice?
EEOC guidance and resource documents express official EEOC policy and explain how the laws and regulations apply to specific workplace situations, but do not have the force and effect of the law. This means that if you file a lawsuit against your employer for ADA discrimination, the court may or may not choose to follow EEOC guidance and resource documents.
Legal advice is given by an attorney after the attorney does legal research, which involves reviewing the law, regulations, and prior court cases and making a legal determination about a specific situation. This is what an attorney will use to argue for a client.
What good are EEOC resources if they are not the law?
EEOC resources can help individuals with disabilities decide what accommodations to ask for and how to negotiate with employers. Although they do not have the force and effect of the law, many employers follow them to show they are making a good faith effort to comply with the ADA.
Where can I find basic information about my ADA rights?
The following resources include information about ADA general rights and responsibilities, how to disclose a disability and request and negotiate accommodations at work, accommodation solutions, and what to do if you believe your ADA rights are being violated. For answers to commonly asked ADA and accommodation process questions, read the FAQ: Basic ADA and Accommodation Process Questions. If you still have questions after reviewing the FAQ and the following resources, Contact JAN.
General Rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- Employees' Practical Guide to Requesting and Negotiating Reasonable Accommodation Under the ADA
- ADA Library
- EEOC Publications
How to Disclose a Disability and Request Accommodations in the Workplace
- Disability Disclosure Topics
- JAN Training Module and Videos Regarding Disability Disclosure
- Requesting and Negotiating a Reasonable Accommodation
- How to Request an Accommodation: Accommodation Form Letter
- Employment Testing and the ADA
- Sample Language for Accommodation Request Letters
- Practical Guidance for Medical Professionals: Providing Sufficient Medical Documentation in Support of a Patient's Accommodation Request
- Disclosing a Disability Before an Accommodation is Needed
How to Negotiate Accommodations in the Workplace
- Employee Accommodation Inquiry Letter (what to do if an employer doesn’t respond to your accommodation request)
- Leave as an Ineffective Accommodation (what to do if your employer forces you out on leave after you request an accommodation)
- How to Inform an Employer That an Accommodation is Not Effective and a Sample Letter (what to do if your employer offers an accommodation that doesn’t work)
- Dealing with Improper Requests for Medical Documentation from an Employer
- Your Accommodation Request Was Denied. What Now?
Accommodation Ideas
- A to Z of Disabilities and Accommodations
- SOAR (Searchable Online Accommodation Resource)
- Contact JAN for one-on-one assistance with accommodation ideas
COVID-19 Pandemic Resources
- Federal Laws Protect You Against Employment Discrimination During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Long COVID and the Americans with Disabilities Act
- Requesting and Negotiating Accommodations During the Pandemic
- Accommodation Strategies for Returning to Work During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Stress and Coping
- Coronavirus Resources
If You Believe Your Rights Are Being Violated
- Disability Discrimination
- How to File a Charge of Employment Discrimination
- Understanding Waivers of Discrimination Claims in Employee Severance Agreements
- Employees Experiencing Workplace Harassment
- Guide to Writing Appeal Briefs for Unrepresented Complainants
JAN provides free consulting services for all rehabilitation and medical professionals. Services include one-on-one consultation about all aspects of job accommodations, including the accommodation process, accommodation ideas, product vendors, referral to other resources, and ADA compliance assistance.
The following is some of the most frequently requested information:
- Telephone
- Online Tools
- Publications and Resources
- A to Z of Disabilities and Accommodations
- ADA Library
- How to Request an Accommodation: Accommodation Form Letter
- Practical Guidance for Medical Professionals: Providing Sufficient Medical Documentation in Support of a Patient's Accommodation Request
- The Interactive Process and Service Providers
- EEOC:
- Reasonable Accommodation and Undue Hardship Under the ADA
- Disability-Related Inquiries and Medical Examinations of Employees Under the ADA
- The Mental Health Provider's Role in a Client's Request for a Reasonable Accommodation at Work
- How Health Care Providers Can Help Current and Former Patients Who Have Used Opioids Stay Employed
- Helping Patients Deal with Pregnancy-Related Limitations and Restrictions at Work
- Helping Patients with HIV Infection Who Need Accommodations at Work
