Employees with 

Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity 

Disorder 

Accommodation and Compliance Series 
Practical Solution • Workplace Success 

 2 

Preface 

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Updated 03/22/10. 
Practical Solutions • Workplace Success 

3 

JAN’S ACCOMMODATION AND COMPLIANCE SERIES

Introduction

JAN’s Accommodation and Compliance Series is designed to help employers determine 

effective accommodations and comply with Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act 

(ADA). Each publication in the series addresses a specific medical condition and 

provides information about the condition, ADA information, accommodation ideas, and 

resources for additional information. 

The Accommodation and Compliance Series is a starting point in the accommodation 

process and may not address every situation. Accommodations should be made on a 

case by case basis, considering each employee’s individual limitations and 

accommodation needs. Employers are encouraged to contact JAN to discuss specific 

situations in more detail. 

For information on assistive technology and other accommodation ideas, visit JAN's 

Searchable Online Accommodation Resource (SOAR) at http://askjan.org/soar. 

Information about Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) 

What is AD/HD? 

Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) is a neurobiological disorder that affects 

three to five percent of American children and adults. AD/HD is usually diagnosed in 

childhood, and the condition can continue into the adult years. Many individuals with 

AD/HD are undiagnosed until adulthood (NINDS, 2006). 

The common characteristics of AD/HD are impulsivity, inattention, and/or over-activity 

(DSM-IV, 1994). Although individuals may have both inattention and hyperactivity 

symptoms, many individuals predominantly display one symptom more than another. 

Therefore, the DSM-IV identifies three subtypes that can be diagnosed: 

AD/HD predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type: The major characteristics are 

fidgeting, talking excessively, interrupting others when talking, and impatience. 

AD/HD predominantly inattentive type: The major characteristics are 

distractibility, organization problems, problems giving attention to details, and 

problems following through with instructions. 

AD/HD combined type: The individual with combined type meets the criteria for 

both hyperactive-impulsive and inattentive type. 

What causes AD/HD? 

Many studies have linked AD/HD to genetics; other studies have suggested that 

prenatal problems and low birth weight may also be factors (NIMH, 2003). 
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How is AD/HD treated? 

Many adults are prescribed the same medications as children with AD/HD. Examples of 

medication include medications such as Strattera, and antidepressants such as Effexor 

and Wellbutrin (NIMH, 2003). 

Most experts agree that treatment for ADHD not be limited solely to the use of 

medications (NINDS, 2006). Treatment can include behavioral therapy, which can 

address time management, self-discipline, goal-setting, and decision-making (NINDS, 

2006). 

AD/HD and the Americans with Disabilities Act

Is AD/HD a disability under the ADA? 

The ADA does not contain a list of medical conditions that constitute disabilities. 

Instead, the ADA has a general definition of disability that each person must meet 

(EEOC, 1992). Therefore, some people with AD/HD will have a disability under the ADA 

and some will not. A person has a disability if he/she has a physical or mental 

impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a record of such an 

impairment, or is regarded as having such an impairment (EEOC, 1992). To be a 

disability covered by the ADA, the impairment must substantially limit one or more major 

life activities. These are activities that an average person can perform with little or no 

difficulty. Examples are: walking, seeing, speaking, hearing, breathing, learning, 

performing manual tasks, caring for oneself, and working. These are examples only. 

Other activities such as sitting, standing, lifting, or reading are also major life activities 

(EEOC, 1992). 

Most courts have agreed with the activities listed by the EEOC. For example, in Brown 

v. Cox Medical Centers, 286 F.3d 1040 (8th Cir. 2002), the Court noted that the “ability 

to perform cognitive functions” is a major life activity. In Gagliardo v. Connaught 

Laboratories, Inc., 311 F.3d 565 (3d Cir. 2002), the court held that “concentrating and 

remembering (more generally, cognitive function)” are major life activities (Fram, 2004). 

For more information about how to determine whether a person has a disability under 

the ADA, visit http://askjan.org/corner/vol02iss04.htm. 
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Accommodating Employees with AD/HD 

Note: People with AD/HD may develop some of the limitations discussed below, but 

seldom develop all of them. Also, the degree of limitation will vary among individuals. Be 

aware that not all people with AD/HD will need accommodations to perform their jobs 

and many others may only need a few accommodations. The following is only a sample 

of the possibilities available. Numerous other accommodation solutions may exist. 

Questions to Consider: 

1. What limitations does the employee with AD/HD experience? 

2. How do these limitations affect the employee’s job performance? 

3. What specific job tasks are problematic as a result of these limitations? 

4. What accommodations are available to reduce or eliminate these problems? Are all 

possible resources being used to determine accommodations? 

5. Can the employee provide information on possible accommodation solutions? 

6. Once accommodations are in place, can meetings take place to evaluate the 

effectiveness of the accommodations? Can meetings take place to determine 

whether additional accommodations are needed? 

7. Would human resources or personnel departments, supervisors, or coworkers benefit 

from education, training or disability awareness regarding learning disabilities? Can it 

be provided? 
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Accommodation Ideas: 

Time Management: Individuals with AD/HD may experience difficulty managing time, 

which can affect their ability to mark time as it passes incrementally by minutes and 

hours. It can also affect their ability to gauge the proper amount of time to set aside for 

certain tasks. It may be difficult to prepare for, or to remember, work activities that occur 

later in the week, month, or year. 

 Divide large assignments into several small tasks 

 Set a timer to make an alarm after assigning ample time to complete a task 

 Provide a checklist of assignments 

 Supply an electronic or handheld organizer, and train on how to use effectively 

 Use wall calendar to emphasize due dates 

o Develop a color-coded system (each color represents a task, or event, or 

level of importance) 

o Allow co-worker or supervisor to add entries on the calendar, or to doublecheck entries added by the employee with AD/HD 

Memory: Individuals with AD/HD may experience memory deficits, which can affect 

their ability to complete tasks, remember job duties, or recall daily actions or activities. 

 Provide written instructions 

 Allow additional training time for new tasks 

 Offer training refreshers 

 Use flow-chart to indicate steps in a task 

 Provide verbal or pictorial cues 

 Use post-it notes as reminders of important dates or tasks 

Concentration: Individuals with AD/HD may experience decreased concentration, which 

can be attributed to auditory distractions (that can be heard) and/or visual distractions 

(that can be seen). People with AD/HD report distractions such as office traffic and 

employee chatter, opening and closing of elevator doors, and common office noises 

such as fax tones and photocopying. 

 To reduce auditory distractions: 

o Purchase a noise canceling headset 

o Hang sound absorption panels 

o Provide a white noise machine 

o Relocate employee’s office space away from audible distractions 

o Redesign employee’s office space to minimize audible distractions 

 To reduce visual distractions: 

o Install space enclosures (cubicle walls) 

o Reduce clutter in the employee's work environment 

o Redesign employee’s office space to minimize visual distractions 

o Relocate employee’s office space away from visual distractions 
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Organization and Prioritization: Individuals with AD/HD may have difficulty getting or 

staying organized, or have difficulty prioritizing tasks at work. 

 Develop color-code system for files, projects, or activities 

 Use weekly chart to identify daily work activities 

 Use the services of a professional organizer 

 Use a job coach to teach/reinforce organization skills 

 Assign a mentor to help employee 

 Allow supervisor to assign prioritization of tasks 

 Assign new project only when previous project is complete, when possible 

 Provide a “cheat sheet” of high-priority activities, projects, people, etc. 

Social Skills: Individuals with AD/HD may have limitations in adaptive skills, such as 

communicating with others, or exhibiting appropriate social skills. This might manifest 

itself as interrupting others when working or talking, demonstrating poor listening skills, 

not making eye contact when communicating, or inability to correctly read body 

language or understand innuendo. 

 Provide a job coach to help understand different social cues 

 Identify areas of improvement for employee in a fair and consistent manner 

 Make attendance at social activities optional 

 Use training videos to demonstrate appropriate behavior in workplace 

 Encourage employees to minimize personal conversation, or move personal 

conversation away from work areas 

 Provide sensitivity training (disability awareness) to all employees 

 Encourage all employees to model appropriate social skills 

 Adjust the supervisory method to better fit the employee’s needs 

 Allow the employee to work from home 

 Adjust method of communication to best suit the employee’s needs 

 Use role-play scenarios to demonstrate appropriate behavior in workplace 

Hyperactivity/Impulsivity: Individuals with AD/HD Hyperactivity-Impulsive type may 

exhibit over-activity or impulsive behavior. This could be disruptive to the work 

environment or could inhibit efficient and effective work performance. 

 Provide structured breaks to create an outlet for physical activity 

 Utilize a job coach to teach/reinforce techniques to control impulsivity 

 Allow the employee to work from home 

 Review conduct policy with employee 

 Adjust method of supervision to better prepare employee for feedback, 

disciplinary action, and other communication about job performance 

 Use services of EAP 

 Provide private workspace where employee will not disturb others by tapping, 

humming, or fidgeting 
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Multi-tasking: Individuals with AD/HD may experience difficulty performing many tasks 

at one time. This difficulty could occur regardless of the similarity of tasks or the 

frequency of performing the tasks. 

 Separate tasks so that each can be completed one at a time 

 Create a flow-chart of tasks that must be performed at the same time, carefully 

labeling or color-coding each task in sequential or preferential order 

 Provide individualized/specialized training to help employee learn techniques for 

multi-tasking (e.g., typing on computer while talking on phone) 

 Identify tasks that must be performed simultaneously and tasks that can be 

performed individually 

 Provide specific feedback to help employee target areas of improvement 

 Remove or reduce distractions from work area 

 Supply ergonomic equipment to facilitate multi-tasking 

 Clearly represent performance standards such as completion time or accuracy 

rates 

Paperwork: Individuals with AD/HD may experience difficulty completing paperwork 

efficiently and effectively. This is due in part to workplace distractions and difficulty with 

time management, disorganization, or prioritization. 

 When possible, automate paperwork by creating electronic files 

 Use speech recognition software to enter text or data into electronic files 

 Save time filling out paper forms by completing information in advance, using 

pre-filled forms, or adhering pre-printed stickers 

 Use checklists in place of writing text 

 Supply large quantities of regularly-used forms 

 Color-code forms for easy identification 

 Re-design commonly used forms 

o Use large font 

o Double space or triple space 

o Provide adequate space for hand-written response 
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Situations and Solutions: 

A journalist with AD/HD experienced sensitivity to visual and auditory distractions. The 

employer provided the individual with a private, high-wall cubicle workspace in a lowtraffic area. The employer added an environmental sound machine to mask office noise. 

A social worker with AD/HD had difficulty completing handwritten paperwork in a neat 

and timely fashion. The employer created electronic forms for the employee, which 

allowed him to type responses. The employer arranged computer files labeled by month 

to help the employee prioritize open cases. The employer also sent email reminders of 

deadlines. 

An office worker with AD/HD experienced impulsivity and often interrupted co-workers 

by entering offices without knocking. The employer helped identify appropriate 

techniques for approaching co-workers, such as keeping a daily list of tasks to discuss 

with others, then emailing or calling to set aside time to talk about work-related projects. 

A retail employee with AD/HD often forgot the closing and cash-out procedures, which 

resulted in missed printouts of daily sale reports. The employer created a numbered 

checklist that identified each step for proper closing procedures and identified which 

reports to run from cash registers. This accommodation benefited all employees. 

A delivery person with AD/HD had difficulty with time management. She spent 

excessive time making deliveries and would forget to return to the warehouse between 

daily runs. The employer provided a personal organizer watch that could be 

programmed to beep and display a written message many times throughout the day. 

This auditory and written prompt helped the employee move quicker from task to task, 

and helped remind her to return to the warehouse to gather her next load. 

A teacher with AD/HD experienced disorganization in her classroom due to clutter from 

many years of teaching. The employer provided a job coach to help the teacher learn 

organization techniques, to help separate and store items, and to dispose of previous 

student work and projects from yesteryear. 

Products: 

There are numerous products that can be used to accommodate people with limitations. 

JAN's Searchable Online Accommodation Resource (SOAR) at http://askjan.org/soar is 

designed to let users explore various accommodation options. Many product vendor 

lists are accessible through this system; however, upon request JAN provides these 

lists and many more that are not available on the Web site. Contact JAN directly if you 

have specific accommodation situations, are looking for products, need vendor 

information, or are seeking a referral. 
Practical Solution • Workplace Success 

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Resources 

Job Accommodation Network (JAN)

West Virginia University 

PO Box 6080 

Morgantown, WV 26506-6080 

Toll-free: (800)526-7234 

TTY: (877)781-9403 

Fax: (304)293-5407 

jan@askjan.org 

http://askjan.org 

Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP)

200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room S-1303 

Washington, DC 20210 

Direct: (202)693-7880 

TTY: (877)889-5627 

Fax: (202)693-7888 

infoODEP@dol.gov 

http://www.dol.gov/odep/ 

ADD Resources

223 Tacoma Ave S #100 

Tacoma, WA 98402 

Direct: (253)759-5085 

Fax: (253)572-3700 

office@addresources.org 

http://www.addresources.org 

ADD Warehouse

300 NW 70th Avenue 

Plantation, FL 33317 

Toll Free: (800)233-9273 

Direct: (954)792-8100 

Fax: (954)792-8100 

http://addwarehouse.com/ 

 

Attention Deficit Disorder Association

15000 Commerce Parkway, Suite C 

Mount Laurel, NJ 08054 

Direct: (856)439-9099 

Fax: (856)439-0525 

adda@add.org 

http://www.add.org
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Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder

8181 Professional Place, Suite 201 

Landover, MD 20785 

Toll Free: (800)233-4050 

Direct: (301)306-7070 

Fax: (301)306-7090 

http://www.chadd.org 

References 

American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental 

disorders (4th ed.). Washington, DC. 

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (1992). A technical assistance manual on 

the employment provisions (title I) of the Americans with Disabilities Act. 

Retrieved October 28, 2005, from http://askjan.org/links/ADAtam1.html 

Fram, David. (2004). Resolving ADA workplace questions: How courts and agencies 

are dealing with employment issues. National Employment Law Institute 

Publication, 17th edition. 

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH). (2003). Attention deficit hyperactivity 

disorder. Retrieved February 20, 2006, from http://www.nimh.nih.gov 

National Institute on Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) (2006). NINDS 

attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder information page. Retrieved August 23, 

2006 from http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/adhd/adhd.htm 
Practical Solution • Workplace Success 

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This document was developed by the Job Accommodation Network, funded by a 

contract agreement from the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment 

Policy (DOL079RP20426). The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the 

position or policy of the U.S. Department of Labor. Nor does mention of trade names, 

commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Department of 

Labor.