Workplace accommodation
Short answer
A workplace accommodation, often called a reasonable accommodation in the United States, is a change or adjustment to a job or work environment that lets a qualified person with a disability apply for, do or fully take part in a job. Examples include a quieter space, schedule changes or written instructions. This page gives general information, not legal advice.
The phrase can sound formal, but most accommodations are ordinary: a different desk, a headset, a later start time, instructions sent by email. The point is to remove a barrier that has nothing to do with the core of the job.
The federal definition
What a request can look like
Ideas JAN lists for attention-related limitations
Many of these cost little and help plenty of coworkers too. The difference with an accommodation is that it is formally recognized as part of how a specific person's job is set up.
Where screening fits
A result from our ASRS v1.1 Screener is a screening outcome, not a diagnosis and not medical documentation. It can help you decide whether to talk to a clinician. Whether an employer can ask for documentation, and what it must show, depends on the law and your situation, so official sources or an adviser are the place to check.
What the term does not imply
An accommodation is not a lowered bar or a favor. It also does not require you to tell coworkers about your health. Rules vary by country and sometimes by state, and the UK uses a related idea called a reasonable adjustment. For your own situation, the EEOC, JAN or an employment adviser can give specifics that a glossary cannot.
A starting point for your next step.
Take the free six-question screenerFrequently asked questions
What counts as a workplace accommodation?
According to the EEOC, any change or adjustment to a job or work environment that helps a qualified person with a disability, such as modified schedules, equipment or job restructuring.
Do I have to use legal language to ask?
No. JAN says, citing the EEOC, that people do not need to use legal terms or mention the ADA when requesting an accommodation.
Does everyone with ADHD need accommodations?
No. JAN notes that not all people with ADHD need accommodations and that limitations vary between individuals.
Sources
Source check: 2026-10-28. No medical review has occurred.
- U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), "Your Employment Rights as an Individual with a Disability"
- Job Accommodation Network (JAN), "Accommodation Process"
- Job Accommodation Network (JAN), "Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)", askjan.org (site footer links to the U.S. Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy)
Published 2026-10-28. Factual source check: ADHDFalcon editorial team, factual source check, 2026-10-28. No medical review has occurred.