Accommodating Employees in Financial Settings

A claims representative for an insurance agency was having difficulty reading files due to a vision impairment caused by multiple sclerosis.

His employer purchased a stand magnifier and added task lighting to his workstation.

A customer service agent for an insurance company was pregnant and experiencing significant leg and back pain when sitting for long periods of time.

She also needed to use the restroom frequently. The employer provided an adjustable workstation to enable the employee to alternate between sitting and standing positions. The employer also allowed her to take more frequent rest breaks by dividing her existing thirty-minutes of break time into several smaller increments of time so she could use the restroom as-needed.

A vice president with osteoarthritis had difficulty maintaining her stamina during the workday.

To accommodate the fatigue, she was given a flexible schedule and allowed to come in later when necessary. Her employer also provided her with a recliner for her office so she could take additional rest breaks throughout the day.

A customer service representative for a financial institution had long-term blurry vision from a stroke and could no longer read his computer screen.

The employer provided screen reading software for his computer so that information present on the screen and information inputted into the system would be read back to him.

An adjuster for an insurance company developed a fear of heights and using ladders after a recent fall from a roof.

The employer looked at the options of providing safety gear to the employee as well as reassigning him to a position without the height / use of ladders requirement. The adjuster truly wanted to stay in his job, and since the use of ladders for heights isn’t something he does every day, they decided to obtain safety gear so that he wouldn’t fall again.

A customer service representative for a financial institution lost his vision and could no longer read his computer screen.

The employer provided screen reading software for his computer so that all information present on the screen and all information inputted into the system would be read back to him.

A financial manager in a securities firm who uses a wheelchair was accommodated with an accessible parking space and minor modifications to his workspace.

This enabled him to access work materials. In addition, attention was paid to his path of travel in the office to ensure it was accessible. The office building already had accessible doors and restrooms so no additional modifications were needed.

Due to her limitations from seasonal affective disorder (SAD), an office worker requested to move from her current location within a sea of cubicles to an office with windows.

Because offices were provided to management only, the employer moved the employee’s cubicle to the side of the “sea” where a bank of windows actually provided more natural light than any of the offices would have.

An individual with paranoid personality disorder is working as a financial consultant for a large marketing firm.

Due to his condition, he often feels like coworkers and supervisors are looking for ways to hurt or sabotage him. He has been going to therapy and is aware that at least some of his beliefs are not true. He decides to disclose his disability and requests more frequent interactions with the supervisor to insure effective communication, the ability to have a support person present for performance evaluations, and a flexible schedule to allow for continued therapy appointments. The employer agrees to provide the accommodations and the employee is able to remain in his position and continue to work effectively.

An employee with major depression and bipolar disorder was having difficulties working in a busy central banking office.

He needed to manage a large staff of workers, provide customer service, and oversee the daily office management. As an accommodation he requested and received a transfer to a smaller and less busy branch office. The employee maintained his salary and the responsibilities of his leadership role.

An insurance clerk with arthritis from systemic lupus erythematosus was experiencing pain in her back, neck, and hands from sitting for long periods of time doing computer work.

She was accommodated with speech recognition software, an ergonomic chair, and an adjustable sit/stand workstation.

An insurance salesman, working in a call center, had Tourette Syndrome that was getting more severe.

No longer able to control his vocal outbursts, it became impossible for him and his coworkers to complete calls. When it was brought to his attention, he shirked it off as his co-workers being too difficult to get along with. He refused to take part in the accommodation process, and refused the move to a more private area with frequent breaks to help him manage the stress that he stated was exacerbating his condition. With no assistance from medical documentation as he refused to cooperate, the employer determined that he was no longer qualified for the position as he was unable to complete the essential functions of his position.

An accountant with restless leg syndrome was often 10-15 minutes late for work every day due to amount and quality of sleep.

The employer provided this employee with a half an hour flexible start time. Depending on when the employee arrived, the time was made up either in a break or at the end of the day.

An accountant was experiencing eye sensitivity to fluorescent light in her office.

As a result, she was unable to clearly view her computer screen or written materials due to glare. The accommodation solutions were to lower the wattage in the overhead lights, provide task lighting, and a computer screen glare guard.

An insurance agency employee with multiple sclerosis and anxiety requested that the employer permit her to use a service dog on the job for mobility and stress reduction.

The employer agreed to allow the employee to bring her service animal to work, provided training to staff on service animals as workplace accommodations, and installed new doors that were easier for the individual to open.