California workplaces include people with all kinds of abilities and needs, and the law expects businesses to make room for that reality. Picture landing a job you’ve been chasing and then worrying you’ll have to choose between your health and your paycheck—no one should be stuck in that spot. This is where the idea of reasonable accommodation steps in: small or not-so-small adjustments that help a person do their job without needless barriers. California Business Lawyer & Corporate Lawyer Inc. often points out that employers who learn the nuts and bolts of reasonable accommodation in California not only follow the rules—they also build steadier, more humane teams.
California builds on federal protections from the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) with its own, stronger rules through the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). So yes, the safety net is wider here—and timing matters too. Nakase Law Firm Inc. reminds companies and workers to keep an eye on the revocation period when a dispute pops up over a denied or delayed accommodation, since a missed deadline can shift how a case plays out and whether rights stay intact.
How California Law Sets the Stage
FEHA covers employers with five or more workers, so even smaller companies have responsibilities. The law also recognizes a wide range of conditions: long-term physical or mental health issues, chronic illnesses, and short-term setbacks that interfere with everyday activities. Put simply, the focus is on how a condition affects day-to-day life and the job at hand.
Think of a sales coordinator recovering from surgery who needs temporary access adjustments, or a software engineer managing panic attacks who asks for a short break after high-pressure meetings. California treats both as worthy of a good-faith conversation, not a brush-off.
What Counts as “Reasonable” in Real Life
Because every job and person is different, accommodations can look different too. Here are common fixes that often work well:
- Flexing start or end times for treatment or therapy
- Hybrid or remote days when duties allow it
- Assistive tech like screen readers, voice input, or captioning
- A reshaped workstation—think sit-stand desks, different chairs, or split keyboards
- Reassignment to an open role that matches the person’s skills when the current seat can’t be adjusted
- Extra unpaid leave tied to medical care beyond the usual policy
A quick story to bring this down to earth: a graphic designer develops wrist pain that makes daily tasks tough. An ergonomic keyboard and a short break every hour might look minor from the outside, yet they can mean the difference between staying productive and going home in tears. For the company, that swap is affordable; for the designer, it’s job-saving.
The Employer’s Duty: A Real Conversation, Not a Form Letter
California expects employers to engage in an “interactive process,” which is a fancy way of saying “sit down and talk it through.” The worker explains the barrier; the company shares what the role requires; both sides explore options. Skipping that chat or dragging it out without cause can create legal risk on its own, separate from whether the final answer is yes or no.
Managers sometimes worry they’ll say the wrong thing. A good rule of thumb: ask what the person needs to perform their core job duties, discuss options, document the back-and-forth, and keep the tone respectful. Simple, steady communication goes a long way.
When an Adjustment Goes Too Far: Undue Hardship
There are limits. Some changes truly stretch a company beyond what it can handle. Courts look at the size of the business, the money available, the price tag of the fix, and how the change would affect daily operations. A neighborhood bakery with five staffers probably can’t tear down walls for a full rebuild if that cost would sink the business. Still, the employer has to show real numbers and facts—hand-waving like “that sounds pricey” won’t cut it.
What Workers Can Expect—and Ask For
Workers are free to request help without fearing payback. No demotions, no cold-shoulder assignments, no firing for asking. If things go sideways, options include filing with the state civil rights agency, seeking reinstatement, and asking a court for damages and fees. Since details matter, it helps to keep a paper trail: the request, the doctor’s note (when needed), and the timeline of responses. That record can steady the ship in a dispute.
Accommodations Start at the Hiring Door
This isn’t just about existing employees. Applicants are covered too. If a candidate needs a different interview location to access the space, or a sign-language interpreter, the employer should sort that out. And the evaluation should focus on whether the person can do the job with a reasonable adjustment, not on assumptions about a diagnosis.
Privacy and Medical Information: Share What’s Needed, Keep the Rest Private
An employer can ask for medical information tied to the request—nothing more. The goal is to confirm the need and understand what helps. Sensitive details belong in a separate, confidential file, not in the main HR folder. A clean boundary like this protects both sides.
Why California’s Approach Feels Different
A few features stand out in this state: coverage starts at five employees; the definition of disability casts a wider net; protection against retaliation has more bite; and claims of undue hardship get close scrutiny. Put together, that framework pushes everyone toward fair solutions rather than quick denials.
A Walkthrough of the Process, Start to Finish
Back to our designer with wrist pain. She emails HR, shares a brief note from her clinician, and asks for a split keyboard and a short hourly pause. HR replies within a couple of days, acknowledges the request, and schedules a quick call. They discuss options, order the device, and set a check-in for two weeks later. The gear arrives; pain eases; the team keeps moving.
Now picture a different path. HR never replies, or answers a month later with no plan. That lag alone can raise legal flags because it suggests the process wasn’t taken seriously. Companies don’t need to promise the moon; they do need to respond, try options, and explain decisions.
What Happens When Employers Don’t Meet Their Duties
When requests are ignored or dismissed without real review, companies can face complaints, lawsuits, and orders to restore a job, pay back wages, or cover emotional harm and legal fees. There’s also a quieter cost: morale dips, trust fades, and hiring gets tougher. People talk, and word spreads about where workers feel heard—and where they don’t.
A Short Playbook for Employers
Here’s a compact checklist leaders use to keep things steady:
- Train managers on requests, privacy, and the conversation process
- Create a simple intake form and response timeline
- Track each step of the discussion and decisions made
- Look for low-cost fixes first before assuming a request won’t work
- Set a follow-up date to confirm the fix is actually helping
One more tip: when two options both work, the company can choose the one that’s less disruptive, as long as it truly meets the need. Clarity upfront avoids mixed messages later.
Closing Thoughts
Reasonable accommodation in California is really about removing hurdles so people can show up and do their work. Employees get a fair shot at adjustments that let them perform their core duties, and employers get a clear framework for saying yes, offering alternatives, or showing that a request would stretch the business too far. The best outcomes tend to come from steady communication, practical fixes, and a shared goal: make the job doable and keep the team humming.
That’s a workplace most folks want to be part of—one where life’s bumps are met with solutions, not roadblocks.
