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November is American Diabetes Month, so this is the perfect time to talk with your managers and supervisors about accommodations for diabetic employees. Accommodations for employees with diabetes are usually small, easy to accomplish, and require little or no cost to the employer.
Potential ADA Accommodations for Daily Diabetic Care
Here are several examples related to daily diabetes care:
- Time/breaks to check blood glucose levels and treat by taking medication or eating
- A place to test blood glucose and treat (or permission to do this at the workstation if requested)
- Ability to keep diabetes supplies and food nearby
- Opportunity to work a modified schedule
- Opportunity to leave for treatment, recuperation, or training on diabetes management
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Potential ADA Accommodations for Long-Term Diabetic Care
There are also long-term complications related to diabetes that could require accommodations. Here are some examples:
- Larger computer screen for worker with diabetic retinopathy (vision disorder caused by diabetes)
- Chair for worker with diabetic neuropathy (nerve disorder caused by diabetes)
- Ability to avoid walking long distances
- Part-time or modified work schedule
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Sometimes the accommodations may mean a change in the work role or location, such as:
- Reassignment to a vacant position. The worker must be able to perform the essential functions of the open position, with or without reasonable accommodations. The employer has a duty to help the worker identify vacancies.
- Telecommuting. A small number of employees with diabetes may need to telecommute because of driving restrictions, for example. Consider the employer’s ability to adequately supervise the worker and the worker’s need to work with certain equipment or tools that cannot be replicated at home. Also consider whether face-to-face interaction is necessary and whether the same goals can be achieved with technology such as video conferencing.
For more information on meeting ADA guidelines and accommodating employees with diabetes, order the webinar recording of “Accommodating Diabetic Employees: Legal and Practical Answers for HR.” To register for a future webinar, visit http://store.blr.com/events.
Katie Hathaway is the managing director of legal advocacy at the American Diabetes Association. She has spent the past 17 years working with the disability community in a legal, advocacy, and support capacity. She also works with a variety of governmental, civil rights, and advocacy organizations to help combat discrimination against persons with disabilities.
For more information on American Diabetes Month, visit www.diabetes.org/in-my-community/american-diabetes-month.html and www.healthfinder.gov/nho/NovemberToolkit.aspx.
I am asking that a disability not be used as an adjective of the person. “Diabetic employee,” “Wheel-chaired employee,” “a disabled employee”, etc.. Can we instead re-train our mind to see first the person then the condition: e.g. “an employee with diabetes,” “an employee with a disability,” “an employee who has a visual disability,” “an employee who is hard of hearing or deaf.” A disabled vehicle on the roadside is different that an employee with a disability.