Skip to page content
United States Department of Labor
            Subscribe to E-mail Updates                        All DOL ODEP   Advanced       SearchA to Z |  Site Map |  FAQs |  Forms |  About DOL |        Contact Us |  EspañolOffice of Disability Employment PolicyDOL Home > ODEP > Maximizing Productivity:       Accommodations for Employees with Psychiatric Disabilities   ODEP - Office of Disability Employment PolicyDisability Employment Policy Resources by Topic Choose Topic All Topics   Accommodations Add Us In Alliances Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)   Campaign for   Disability Employment (CDE) Changing Attitudes Communications Access   Customized   Employment Disability Employment   Initiative (DEI) Disability Employment   Statistics Diversity &   Inclusion Emergency Preparedness   Federal   Contractor Requirements Federal Employment Financial Education,   Asset Development, and Work and Tax Incentives Flexible Work   Arrangements Grants   Health Care HIV/AIDS Housing National Disability Employment Awareness Month   (NDEAM) Older   Workers Personal Assistance   Services Publications for Order   Recruitment &   Retention Research   Return to Work Self-Employment &   Entrepreneurship Tax Incentives for   Employers Technology Transportation Universal Design Veterans The Workforce System Workforce Recruitment   Program (WRP) Youth in   Transition  Maximizing Productivity: Accommodations for Employees with Psychiatric Disabilities
A psychiatric disability can impact various aspects of an individual's life, including the ability to achieve maximum productivity in the workplace. The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that one in five people will experience a psychiatric disability in their lifetime, and one in four Americans currently knows someone who has a psychiatric disability. It is likely that most employers have at least one employee with a psychiatric disability.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other nondiscrimination laws, most employers must provide "reasonable accommodations" to qualified employees with disabilities. Many employers are aware of different types of accommodations for people with physical and communication disabilities, but they may be less familiar with accommodations for employees with disabilities that are not visible, such as psychiatric disabilities. Over the last few years, increasing numbers of employers have expressed a desire and need for information and ideas on accommodations for employees with psychiatric disabilities.

Reasonable accommodations are adjustments to a work setting that make it possible for qualified employees with disabilities to perform the essential functions of their jobs. The majority of accommodations can be made for minimal (if any) cost and a small investment of time and planning. Moreover, effective accommodations can be good for business. They help employees return to work more quickly after disability or medical leave, eliminate costs due to lost productivity and can be key to recruiting and retaining qualified employees.

Not all employees with psychiatric disabilities need accommodations to perform their jobs. For those who do, it is important to remember that the process of developing and implementing accommodations is individualized and should begin with input from the employee. Accommodations vary, just as people's strengths, work environments and job duties vary.

Below are examples of accommodations that have helped employees with psychiatric disabilities to more effectively perform their jobs. The list below does not include all possible accommodations, but it is a good starting point and provides some of the most effective and frequently used workplace accommodations. For example:
- Flexible Workplace - Telecommuting and/or working from   home.   
- Scheduling - Part-time work hours, job sharing,   adjustments in the start or end of work hours, compensation time and/or "make   up" of missed time.   
- Leave - Sick leave for reasons related to mental health,   flexible use of vacation time, additional unpaid or administrative leave for   treatment or recovery, leaves of absence and/or use of occasional leave (a few   hours at a time) for therapy and other related appointments.   
- Breaks - Breaks according to individual needs rather than   a fixed schedule, more frequent breaks and/or greater flexibility in   scheduling breaks, provision of backup coverage during breaks, and telephone   breaks during work hours to call professionals and others needed for support.   
- Other Policies - Beverages and/or food permitted at   workstations, if necessary, to mitigate the side effects of medications,   on-site job coaches. 
Modifications- Reduction and/or removal of distractions in the work area.   
- Addition of room dividers, partitions or other soundproofing or visual   barriers between workspaces to reduce noise or visual distractions.   
- Private offices or private space enclosures.   
- Office/work space location away from noisy machinery.   
- Reduction of workplace noise that can be adjusted (such as telephone   volume).   
- Increased natural lighting or full spectrum lighting.   
- Music (with headset) to block out distractions. 
Equipment/Technology:- Tape recorders for recording/reviewing meetings and training sessions.   
- "White noise" or environmental sound machines.   
- Handheld electronic organizers, software calendars and organizer programs.   
- Remote job coaching, laptop computers, personal digital assistants and   office computer access via remote locations.   
- Software that minimizes computerized distractions such as pop-up screens.   
Job Duties- Modification or removal of non-essential job duties or restructuring of   the job to include only the essential job functions.   
- Division of large assignments into smaller tasks and goals.   
- Additional assistance and/or time for orientation activities, training and   learning job tasks and new responsibilities.   
- Additional training or modified training materials. 
Management/Supervision- Implementation of flexible and supportive supervision style; positive   reinforcement and feedback; adjustments in level of supervision or structure,   such as more frequent meetings to help prioritize tasks; and open   communication with supervisors regarding performance and work expectations.   
- Additional forms of communication and/or written and visual tools,   including communication of assignments and instructions in the employee's   preferred learning style (written, verbal, e-mail, demonstration); creation   and implementation of written tools such as daily "to-do" lists, step-by-step   checklists, written (in addition to verbal) instructions and typed minutes of   meetings.   
- Regularly scheduled meetings (weekly or monthly) with employees to discuss   workplace issues and productivity, including annual discussions as part of   performance appraisals to assess abilities and discuss promotional   opportunities.   
- Development of strategies to deal with problems before they arise.   
- Written work agreements that include any agreed upon accommodations,   long-term and short-term goals, expectations of responsibilities and   consequences of not meeting performance standards.   
- Education of all employees about their right to accommodations.   
- Relevant training for all employees, including co-workers and supervisory   staff. 
Additional Resources:- The  Job   Accommodation Network  (JAN) is a free consulting service from the U.S.   Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy that provides   individualized accommodation solutions and information on the ADA and services   related to employment for people with disabilities. JAN can be accessed at   1-800-526-7234 (V/TTY).   
- The Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation's  Reasonable   Accommodations for People with Psychiatric Disabilities: An On-line Resource   for Employers and Educators  includes specific tips for employers on   developing and implementing accommodations.   
- Ten regional Disability and Business Technical Assistance Centers   (DBTACs), sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education's National Institute   on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, provide ADA information, training   and technical assistance across the nation. They can be contacted at   1-800-949-4232 (V/TTY).   
- The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's  Enforcement   Guidance on the ADA and Psychiatric Disabilities  answers some of the   most common questions about the ADA and persons with psychiatric disabilities.   
- The   President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health's Final Report Executive   Summary  includes information on a variety of topics relating to children   and adults with psychiatric disabilities. 

The above list of resources is not meant to be exhaustive. Any listing of non-governmental resources in this fact sheet should not be construed as an endorsement of the entities, their services or products by the Office of Disability Employment Policy or the U.S. Department of Labor.
About ODEPNewsroomEventsFAQsContact UsResearchTechnical       AssistanceAssistant       Secretary's CornerDisability.govFreedom of Information Act |  Privacy & Security Statement |  Disclaimers |  Customer Survey |  Important Web Site Notices |  Plug-ins Used by DOL U.S. Department of Labor | Frances Perkins Building, 200 Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20210http://www.dol.gov/ | Telephone: 1-866-ODEP-DOL (1-866-633-7365) | TTY: 1-877-889-5627 | Contact Us