Opinion ID: 4644704
Heading Depth: 5
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Establishing reasonable accommodation

Text: Courts recognize a three-step “burden-shifting framework” for determining whether an accommodation is reasonable: First, the employee need only show that an accommodation seems reasonable on its face, i.e., ordinarily or in the run of cases. A proposed accommodation is not reasonable on its face if it would not enable the employee to perform the essential function at issue. Second, if the employee presents a facially reasonable accommodation, the burden of production then shifts to the employer to present evidence of its inability to accommodate. The employer must show special (typically case-specific) circumstances that demonstrate undue hardship in the particular circumstances. Third, if the employer presents such evidence, the employee has the burden of coming forward with evidence concerning her individual capabilities and suggestions for possible accommodations to rebut the employer’s evidence. As with discrimination cases generally, the plaintiff at all times bears the ultimate burden of persuading the trier of fact that he has been the victim of illegal discrimination based on his disability. Osborne, 798 F.3d at 1267-68 (brackets, quotations, footnotes, and citations omitted). Here, the parties contest whether Mr. Mannan can satisfy the first step—showing a facially reasonable accommodation.