--- title: What Qualifies as a Disability for an Employee? description: Discover what qualifies as a disability under the ADA and learn how employers can support employees through reasonable accommodations in the workplace. image: https://blog.ahola.com/hubfs/blog%20stock%20frame%20(23)-1.png --- Start typing and press Enter to search * * # What Qualifies as a Disability for an Employee? [Home](https://www.ahola.com/) » [News & Events](https://blog.ahola.com/what-qualifies-as-a-disability-for-an-employee) » What Qualifies as a Disability for an Employee? [2021-09-02%2016:44:21](2021-09-02%2016:44:21) ![](https://blog.ahola.com/hubfs/blog%20stock%20frame%20(23)-1.png) ## What Qualifies as a Disability for an Employee? By [ aholaadmin ](https://blog.ahola.com/author/aholaadmin)  Posted [ September 2, 2021](2021-09-02%2016:44:21)  In  [Benefits](https://blog.ahola.com/tag/benefits), [Human Resources](https://blog.ahola.com/tag/human-resources), [Employees](https://blog.ahola.com/tag/employees) - - - - - Understanding what qualifies as a disability isn’t just about compliance—it’s about creating a workplace where employees can perform at their best. Under the [**Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)**](https://www.ada.gov/), a disability is defined as a condition that meets one of the following criteria: - A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities - A record (history) of such an impairment - Being regarded as having such an impairment ### What are “major life activities”? Major life activities include a wide range of everyday functions, such as: Caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping, walking, standing, lifting, bending, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, and working. ## What Employers Need to Know The ADA prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals with disabilities across all aspects of employment, including: - Hiring and recruiting - Job assignments and advancement - Compensation and benefits - Training and development - Termination and other employment decisions Simply put: if an employee can perform the essential functions of the job—with or without reasonable accommodation—they are protected under the ADA. ## The Interactive Process: Where Compliance Meets Care When an employee discloses a disability or requests an accommodation, the next step is the **interactive process**. This is a collaborative conversation between employer and employee to determine what reasonable accommodations—if any—can help the employee perform their role successfully. Examples of accommodations may include: - Adjusted work schedules - Modified equipment or workspaces - Remote or hybrid flexibility - Temporary job restructuring Employers may request appropriate medical documentation to support the need for accommodation, but the focus should remain on finding practical, effective solutions. ## Keep in Mind Not every condition automatically qualifies as a disability, and not every accommodation request must be granted. Employers are responsible for providing **reasonable accommodations** unless doing so would create an undue hardship on the business. That’s where having the right HR guidance matters. Looking for further HR help and guidance. [**Work with a certified HR Professional today.**](https://www.ahola.com/human-resources-consulting/) *Content provided by Ahola's HR Support Center* ### Reply a Comment ## RELATED POSTS [![](https://blog.ahola.com/hubfs/Ahola%20CTA%20(5).png) ](https://blog.ahola.com/what-is-workplace-discrimination) [What is Workplace Discrimination?](https://blog.ahola.com/what-is-workplace-discrimination) [![](https://blog.ahola.com/hubfs/Employee%20Walking.jpg) ](https://blog.ahola.com/what-is-age-discrimination-in-the-workplace) [What is Age Discrimination in the Workplace?](https://blog.ahola.com/what-is-age-discrimination-in-the-workplace) [![](https://blog.ahola.com/hubfs/courtrule.jpg) ](https://blog.ahola.com/are-all-companies-required-to-comply-with-federal-employment-discrimination-laws) [Are All Companies Required to Comply with Federal Employment Discrimination Laws?](https://blog.ahola.com/are-all-companies-required-to-comply-with-federal-employment-discrimination-laws) ## SUBSCRIBE ### Recent posts - [Professionalizing HR Without Losing Your Family Culture ](https://blog.ahola.com/professionalizing-hr-without-losing-your-family-culture) - [Why Encouraging Employees to Take Summer Vacation Benefits Your Workplace ](https://blog.ahola.com/why-encouraging-employees-to-take-summer-vacation-benefits-your-workplace) - [Ahola Named a 2026 Top Workplace — Six Years Running! ](https://blog.ahola.com/ahola-named-a-2026-top-workplace) - ### Topics - [Affordable Care Act (13)](https://blog.ahola.com/tag/affordable-care-act) - [Benefits (223)](https://blog.ahola.com/tag/benefits) - [Cybersecurity (1)](https://blog.ahola.com/tag/cybersecurity) - [Employee Engagement (255)](https://blog.ahola.com/tag/employee-engagement) - [Employees (603)](https://blog.ahola.com/tag/employees) - [Family Business Insights (10)](https://blog.ahola.com/tag/family-business-insights) - [Hiring (282)](https://blog.ahola.com/tag/hiring) - [Human Resources (645)](https://blog.ahola.com/tag/human-resources) - [Laws/Policies (26)](https://blog.ahola.com/tag/laws-policies) - [Managing COVID-19 (153)](https://blog.ahola.com/tag/managing-covid-19) - [News Release (56)](https://blog.ahola.com/tag/news-release) - [Offboarding (3)](https://blog.ahola.com/tag/offboarding) - [onboarding (7)](https://blog.ahola.com/tag/onboarding) - [Payroll (428)](https://blog.ahola.com/tag/payroll) - [Recruiting (142)](https://blog.ahola.com/tag/recruiting) - [Safety (121)](https://blog.ahola.com/tag/safety) - [Tax Compliance (230)](https://blog.ahola.com/tag/tax-compliance) - [Time & Attendance (124)](https://blog.ahola.com/tag/time-attendance) - [Training & Development (214)](https://blog.ahola.com/tag/training-development) - [Trending Topic (75)](https://blog.ahola.com/tag/trending-topic) - [Uncategorized (1)](https://blog.ahola.com/tag/uncategorized) - [Webinars (69)](https://blog.ahola.com/tag/webinars) - [Workers Comp (1)](https://blog.ahola.com/tag/workers-comp) [see all topics](https://blog.ahola.com/what-qualifies-as-a-disability-for-an-employee#) ### GENERAL DISCLAIMER This blog is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice, and cannot constitute legal advice, because the authors are not licensed attorneys. Readers should not rely or act upon any information presented on this blog without seeking professional legal counsel. The views expressed in each post are those of the author, and the author alone; they are not the views of Ahola. The information provided in this blog is general, and based on information available as of the date of publishing. Information herein is provided on an “as is” or “as available” basis; we make no warranty of any kind to you regarding the information provided and disclaim any liability for damages from use of the blog or its content. Please consult an attorney to obtain advice with respect to any particular question or issue. 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