ADA Title I & EEOC Advocacy
Employment Disability Discrimination
Practical guidance for employees and applicants facing denied accommodations, medical-leave problems, inaccessible workplace technology, hiring barriers, retaliation, or termination.
Last reviewed: September 25, 2026
What happened at work?
Start with the situation that most closely matches yours. These pages provide general information; the facts, location, employer, timing, and governing law determine the analysis.
Research snapshot through September 25, 2026
What We Are Seeing in 2026
A review of announced EEOC disability resolutions identified recurring themes. It is not a complete census, does not establish how courts would decide the allegations, and should not be used to predict another case’s outcome.
Specific request, then adverse action
Many matters allege a concrete accommodation request followed by refusal, firing, demotion, or forced exit.
Leave and rigid policies
Treatment leave, exhausted PTO, attendance points, return-to-work rules, and vendor administration remain active issues.
Technology and hiring access
Screen readers, employee portals, interpreters, onboarding, physical screening, and disability stereotypes appear across current matters.
Systemic policy scrutiny
The EEOC continues to challenge policies affecting groups of workers, including leave, reassignment, screening, and drug rules.
Remote work remains fact-specific
Prior successful telework may matter, but essential job functions and jurisdiction-specific standards remain central.
Small requests can have serious consequences
Several matters involved specific equipment, communication, or assignment changes rather than costly structural changes.
Evergreen Workplace Rights
The ADA addresses qualified individuals, essential job functions, reasonable accommodation, undue hardship, medical inquiries, hiring, and retaliation. State law may provide different coverage, procedures, or remedies.
- Accommodations are individualized rather than automatic.
- A requested option need not be accepted if another effective accommodation is available.
- Medical information should be limited to what is permitted and relevant.
- Strict filing deadlines can apply before a lawsuit.
Preserve the Record
Keep original accommodation requests, emails, texts, HR portal submissions, leave-vendor confirmations, medical notes, job descriptions, performance reviews, discipline, termination notices, return-to-work restrictions, job postings, and screenshots of inaccessible systems.
Create a dated timeline, but do not alter the original records. This is general educational information, not case-specific advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is protected by the employment provisions of the ADA?
Generally, a qualified applicant or employee with a disability who can perform the job’s essential functions with or without reasonable accommodation. Coverage and definitions can vary under state law.
What is an essential job function?
It is a fundamental duty of the position, not a marginal task. Written descriptions, actual practice, employer judgment, time spent, and consequences of not performing the duty may be relevant.
When should an EEOC charge be filed?
Federal deadlines are often 180 or 300 days depending on the jurisdiction and claim, with different rules for federal employees and state claims. Prompt review is important because the correct deadline is fact-specific.
What records should I preserve?
Keep requests, medical support, emails, texts, portal confirmations, job descriptions, reviews, discipline, leave records, screenshots, offer or termination letters, and a dated chronology.
Questions About Disability Discrimination at Work?
Contacting the firm does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please do not send confidential information until representation is confirmed.