Requesting a Reasonable Accommodation for IBS & Medical Documentation

I wrote previously about the ADA and the potential for IBS sufferers to request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to help deal with attendence issues at work. If you believe your IBS qualifies as a disability as defined by the ADA, and you believe a reasonable accommodation will enable you to continue working then you she be made aware of what medical documentation your employer can ask you to produce, and if/when your employer can ask you to undergo a medical examination.

An employer is permitted to ask for medical documentation substantiating a need for a reasonable accommodation unless the disability is "known and obvious." The nature and symptoms of IBS and other digestive diseases are probably not going to be considered “obvious,” so its likely your employer is going to ask you to produce medical support for your request for a reasonable accommodation.

I have two posts that deal with this situation at IBSJobLaw.com:

One deals generally with what your employer is allowed to ask you regarding a disability - What can my employer ask me about my disability?

The second is more specific in regard to medical documentation required to substantiate the need for a Reasonable Accommodation request - What Medical Documentation do I need to Request a Reasonable Accommodation?

Stan Wojculewski is an attorney living and practicing law in New Jersey. He decided to start http://ibsjoblaw.com after a friend that was fired from his job due to lateness and missed time caused by his Irritable Bowel Syndrome came to him for help. The intent of this site is to provide information on employment rights with a focus on the working person suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Crohn’s disease, colitis, and other digestive diseases.