The government has needed to pass laws to protect certain groups of employees at workplaces. The Americans with Disabilities Act became a law in 1990, and it prohibits employers from discriminating against individuals with disabilities at work or during the hiring process.
However, there are certain limitations within the law. For example, employers may not need to make accommodations if it would create an undue hardship on the business. A small company that does not make a lot of profit may not have a requirement by law to make physical changes to a building because it would cost the business too much money. Many factors play a role in this, such as the size of the company, but there are certain accommodations virtually every business can make without creating a hardship.
Policy enhancements
An employee may have an illness or disability that requires him or her to leave work during the day to see a doctor. An employer needs to be able to work around this schedule, and part of that may include allowing the employee to work from home on certain days.
Available communication
Signs around the building, such as those for the bathrooms, should feature Braille, allowing blind employees to find their way around. Deaf employees should also be able to request a sign language interpreter at meetings.
Accessible technologies
A business that requires employees to use a certain type of software should ensure everyone is able to access and utilize such software. This may also include providing screen reader software to allow visually impaired or blind individuals to access information on the screen.
Physical changes
Any building open for public use needs to be accessible to everyone. That means installing a ramp to allow people confined to wheelchairs to enter the building. Modifications to the layout of the office may also be necessary so that people who rely on special devices can get through every doorway.