Over the last few years, remote work arrangements and hybrid arrangements where people work partially on-site and partially off-site have become far more common. Remote work has been a boon for those who may want to live in lower-cost areas while working for large organizations or the government.
Remote work arrangements have also been very important for professionals with medical disabilities. Being able to work remotely can help a professional avoid exposure to pathogens when they are immunocompromised. Those with various medical challenges can perform their job in an environment that has all of the medical accommodations that they require for their overall well-being.
Unfortunately, the return-to-work mandate for federal employees puts remote work arrangements at risk. Federal employees with debilitating medical conditions may need help responding so that they can preserve their employment without compromising their health.
Remote work can be a disability accommodation
As mentioned above, remote work offers certain benefits for those with debilitating medical challenges. Provided that they have documentation affirming their conditions, federal workers may be able to request ongoing remote work as a form of disability accommodation.
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), federal employees, much like private-sector employees, have the right to request accommodations. If they can perform job functions with certain forms of support from their employers, then employers should make every effort to keep those workers safe by accommodating them.
As return-to-work mandates go into effect, many workers may face consequences if they do not physically return to the office. Before doing so or leaving a position, professionals may need to communicate with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM).
They may be able to apply for disability accommodations that allow them to continue working remotely while maintaining their federal employment. The process of seeking disability accommodations can be complicated, and small oversights can result in workers facing rejected requests and then even career consequences if they do not physically return to work.
The sooner that federal workers who need remote work as a disability accommodation request that support, the better their chances of avoiding employment disruptions. Establishing that remote work is a necessary disability accommodation can help protect workers who cannot safely and easily return to in-person work.