Workplace Accommodations That Actually Get Approved
"I need things to be easier" is not an accommodation request. A functional assessment that names the barrier, the limitation behind it, and the specific adjustment that resolves it — that is a request an employer can say yes to.
Accommodation is a right, and a process
Under Nova Scotia human rights law, employers have a duty to accommodate an employee's disability to the point of undue hardship. That duty is real, and it is also a process with a shape: the employee identifies a need, medical or clinical information supports it, and the parties work out an adjustment together.
Where it usually breaks down is the middle step. A note saying "patient requires accommodation" gives an employer nothing to act on. What works is a functional description — this is the task, this is the demand it makes, this is the limitation, this is the adjustment, this is why it is sufficient.
Writing that is standard occupational therapy work. It is also, quietly, the most useful thing an OT can do for someone's working life.
Beyond the chair and the monitor
Physical ergonomics matter and we do them. They are also, for most people we see, not the accommodation that would change the most.
Physical & ergonomic
Workstation setup, seating, monitor and keyboard positioning, standing desks, lifting and manual handling, tool and vehicle access, and fatigue-driven task rotation — at the office, at home, or in the field.
Cognitive
Memory, concentration, planning and task-switching supports for ADHD, brain injury, long COVID, MS, chemotherapy recovery and mental illness. Written instructions, task batching, protected focus time, meeting structure and deadline management.
Sensory
Open-plan noise, lighting, scent, temperature and interruption load. Often the single most effective accommodation for autistic employees, and one of the cheapest to implement.
Scheduling & pacing
Graduated hours, flexible start times, remote or hybrid arrangements, rest breaks, and how a return-to-work schedule should actually escalate rather than jumping to full duties in week three.
Communication
Accommodations for people with communication disabilities — meeting formats, written follow-ups, AAC in the workplace, and support for the conversations where being misunderstood carries real cost.
Employees, employers, and the space between
Employees
Assessment and documentation to support your accommodation request, plus coaching on how to have the conversation. You decide what is shared and what is not.
Employers & HR
Independent functional assessment, practical recommendations costed against real options, and a written report that stands up if the arrangement is ever challenged.
Return-to-work teams
Job demands analysis, graduated return plans, functional capacity, and review points that let a plan be adjusted before it fails rather than after.
Workplace accommodations — common questions
Does my employer have to be told my diagnosis?
Generally, no. An employer is entitled to know your functional limitations and what accommodation is needed — not your diagnosis or your clinical history. We write reports to that line deliberately, and we will discuss with you exactly what any document says before it leaves our hands.
My accommodation request was refused. Can you help?
Often, yes. Refusals frequently come down to a request being framed as a preference rather than evidenced as a need, or an adjustment being proposed that was genuinely impractical when a workable alternative existed. A functional assessment usually gives both sides something to move on.
Do you do assessments for home offices?
Yes — and remote and hybrid setups are now a large part of this work. We assess wherever the work is actually done, including home, vehicle and field settings, in person or virtually.
Is this the same as your ergonomic assessment?
Related but broader. The ergonomic assessment focuses on physical setup and posture. Accommodation work adds cognitive, sensory, scheduling and communication needs, and produces documentation aimed at an accommodation process rather than a workstation.
Who pays — me or my employer?
Either. Employers frequently commission assessments directly; employees often use extended health coverage for occupational therapy, and some pay privately. Where an insurer or WCB is involved there may be a funded route. We will help you work out which applies before anything is booked.
Make the request answerable
Book a free 20-minute consultation to talk through the barrier, the workplace, and what an assessment would need to cover.