You want to go back to work, but you're not sure your body or health condition will cooperate with the demands of a typical job. That fear is real, and it stops a lot of people before they even try. Fortunately, working with a disability doesn't mean working without support. The law gives workers with disabilities specific protections, including the right to ask for changes that make the job doable.
Disability Services of America works with people across the country who receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and are thinking about returning to work through the Social Security Administration's Ticket to Work program. Reasonable accommodation is one of the most important tools in that process. Knowing how to identify, document, and request accommodation can be the difference between a job that works and one that doesn't.
What Are Reasonable Accommodations, and Who Qualifies?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified workers with disabilities, unless doing so would cause significant difficulty or expense. That standard applies throughout the hiring process, during employment, and when an employee's condition changes over time.
A reasonable accommodation is any modification to a job, work environment, or the way things are usually done that allows a person with a disability to perform essential functions of the position. Accommodations don't change the job itself; they change how the job gets done.
Exploring Reasonable Accommodation
Wide-ranging workplace accommodations are possible. Common examples include:
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Modified schedules. Shifting start and end times, allowing longer or more frequent breaks, or restructuring hours to accommodate medical appointments or fatigue-related symptoms.
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Remote or hybrid work. Working from home part-time or full-time can eliminate transportation barriers and create a more manageable environment for people with mobility, pain, or sensory conditions.
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Assistive technology. Screen readers, voice-to-text software, ergonomic keyboards, and other tools can remove barriers that would otherwise make a job impossible.
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Physical workspace changes. Adjustable desks, accessible parking, ramp access, or reassignment to a ground-floor workspace can open positions that were previously off-limits.
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Job restructuring. Reassigning marginal (non-essential) duties to another employee while keeping core responsibilities intact.
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Leave as an accommodation. Intermittent leave for flare-ups, treatment, or recovery may qualify as a reasonable accommodation even when you've exhausted standard leave policies.
Documenting Your Limitations Before Making a Request
A strong accommodation request starts before you ever contact HR. The goal is to build a clear picture of how your condition affects your ability to do the job. Be specific. Vague descriptions lead to vague responses.
Gather Medical Documentation
Ask your treating physician, therapist, or specialist to provide written documentation of your diagnosis, functional limitations, and how those limitations affect your ability to perform work tasks. The documentation doesn't need to disclose your full medical history, but it does need to connect your condition to specific job-related barriers. For example: "Due to chronic fatigue associated with (your diagnosis), the patient has difficulty sustaining concentration for periods longer than 45 minutes" is more useful than a generous diagnosis letter.
Review the Job Description
Pull the official job description for your position (or the one you're applying for) and go through it line by line. Identify which essential functions present a barrier. That analysis becomes the basis for your accommodation request. You're showing that you can perform the job with the right support, not asking to be excused from it.
Write Down Your Barriers in Plain Language
Outside of medical documentation, it is helpful to write a plain-language summary of the specific barriers you face and what changes would address them. Think about what a typical day looks like and where things break down: Is it the commute? Sitting for long periods? Noise levels? Irregular hours? Being specific can help your employer know how to respond.
How to Submit a Workplace Accommodation Request
Clearly communicating your needs is essential when requesting workplace accommodations. Here's a straightforward approach:
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Put it in writing. While verbal requests are technically valid, written requests create a record. An email to your HR department or direct supervisor is sufficient. Keep a copy.
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State what you need and why. You don't have to use the words "reasonable accommodation" or cite the ADA, but being direct helps. For example: "Due to a medical condition, I am requesting a modified work schedule (or remote work option or other accommodation) that would allow me to perform my job responsibilities effectively."
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Attach supporting documentation. Include the letter from your provider and any notes connecting your limitations to specific job functions.
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Follow up in writing. If HR or your supervisor responds verbally, send a follow-up email summarizing the discussion and any resulting agreements.
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Keep records. Save every communication related to your request, such as emails, letters, or notes from meetings. If problems arise later, this documentation matters.
Where Disability Services of America Fits In
Returning to work through the Ticket to Work program is an opportunity, but it comes with real questions about how working will affect SSDI and Medicare benefits. That's where Disability Services of America provides critical support.
As an SSA-approved Employment Network, Disability Services of America offers career and benefits counseling to Ticket to Work participants nationwide. We help clients understand what they can earn without losing benefits, create a customized employment plan, and provide guidance on how workplace accommodations fit into the return-to-work process.
We don't pass clients through automated systems or ask them to repeat their story to multiple people. Our team includes experienced professionals who work directly with clients to answer their questions and help them take action.
For anyone who has already applied for SSDI or SSI and needs help through that process, Disability Services of America also assists with applications, documentation, forms, and appeals. We provide Ticket to Work services at no cost to clients who assign their "ticket" to our Employment Network.