Pricey Accommodations Can Pose ‘Hardship’ in Pandemic; EEOC (1)

Employers may deny a worker’s requested accommodation under federal disability law if that request poses an undue financial hardship under the circumstances of a pandemic, the EEOC said in updated guidance.

An undue hardship could mean “significant difficulty or expense,” the agency said, meaning an accommodation requested under the Americans with Disabilities Act that was deemed reasonable before the pandemic may no longer be reasonable now.

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission answered this question and others Friday in its regularly updated online coronavirus resource. Businesses and workers have been seeking answers from the agency about how to comply with ...