Opinion ID: 708160
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Guidance

Text: 48 An EEOC Enforcement Guidance, dated May 19, 1994, 3 further aids our interpretation of the rules concerning pre-offer inquiries of applicants with known disabilities. See Equal Employment Opportunity Comm'n, Enforcement Guidance: Preemployment Disability-Related Inquiries and Medical Examinations Under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (EEOC Notice 915.002) (May 19, 1994) [hereinafter Guidance ]. The Guidance was designed for interim use by EEOC investigators, pending coordination with other federal agencies. Id., Exec.Summ. It is not binding law, but as a detailed analysis of the relevant ADA provisions, it aids our interpretation of the statute. 49 In a section entitled When the Employer Could Reasonably Believe that Known Disability Will Interfere With Performance of Job Related Functions, the Guidance provides: 50 When an employer could reasonably believe that an applicant's known disability will interfere with the performance of a job-related function, the employer may ask that particular applicant to describe or demonstrate how s/he would perform the function, with or without reasonable accommodation. Such inquiries or requests are not prohibited pre-offer inquiries. 51 Example 5: R may ask an applicant with one leg who applies for a job as a telephone linesperson to describe or demonstrate how she would perform the duties of the job, because R may reasonably believe that having one leg interferes with the ability to climb telephone poles. 52 In some cases, an applicant may not have an obvious disability, but may voluntarily disclose that s/he has a hidden disability that would reasonably appear to interfere with performance of a job-related function. In such cases, the employer may ask the applicant to describe or demonstrate performance, with or without reasonable accommodation. Such inquiries or requests are not prohibited pre-offer inquiries. 53 Example 6: An applicant for the job of repairing underground sewer lines voluntarily discloses that she has severe claustrophobia. R may reasonably determine that severe claustrophobia would interfere with an employee's ability to work within the confined space of an underground sewer. R may therefore ask the applicant to describe or demonstrate how she would perform the job, with or without reasonable accommodation. 54 Guidance Sec. IV.B.5.b. 55 The EEOC explains that allowing an employer to ask an applicant with a known disability to describe or demonstrate how he would perform a job-related function is in the interest of both applicants and employers. Id. at n. 23. 56 Employers are entitled to know whether an applicant with an apparently interfering disability can perform job-related functions, with or without reasonable accommodation. It is in the interest of an applicant with such a disability to describe or demonstrate performance in order to dispel notions that s/he is unable to perform the job because of the disability. 57 Id. 58 In a section entitled Inquiries Concerning Need for Accommodation and Requests for Documentation if Applicant Asks for Accommodation, the Guidance permits an employer during the hiring process to require an applicant to inform the employer of any reasonable accommodation needed to take an interview or perform a job demonstration. Id. Sec. IV.B.6.a. With respect to accommodations for the job, as opposed to accommodations for the hiring process, the Guidance explains: 59 An employer may ask an applicant whether s/he can perform specified job-related functions with or without reasonable accommodation, because these inquiries elicit information about an applicant's ability to perform job functions, not information about an applicant's disability. An employer also may ask an applicant to describe or demonstrate, at the pre-offer stage, how s/he would perform job-related functions, with or without reasonable accommodation, because these inquiries elicit information about an applicant's ability, not information about an applicant's disability.... 60 However, at the pre-offer stage, an employer may not generally inquire whether the applicant needs reasonable accommodation for the job. For example, an employer may not make inquiries such as, Would you need reasonable accommodation in this job? or Would you need reasonable accommodation to perform this specific function? Such inquiries are likely to elicit information about the existence of a disability because, generally, only an individual with a disability would require an accommodation. Therefore, these inquiries are prohibited at the pre-offer stage. 61 If an applicant has voluntarily disclosed that s/he would need a reasonable accommodation to perform the job, the employer still may not make inquiries at the pre-offer stage about the type of required reasonable accommodation (except where the applicant has requested reasonable accommodation as part of a required pre-offer job demonstration, as described above). 62 Id. Sec. IV.B.6.a (emphasis in original). 63 When an applicant requests reasonable accommodation, an employer may request documentation from an appropriate professional (e.g., a doctor, rehabilitation counsellor, etc.), stating that s/he has a disability. Id. Sec. IV.B.6.b. An employer may also require documentation as to an applicant's functional limitations for which reasonable accommodation is requested (and which flow from the disability.) Id. The EEOC reasoned that such requests are not prohibited pre-offer inquiries because: 64 Requesting such documentation is consistent with the ADA's legislative history. For example, Congress specifically anticipated that when an applicant requests reasonable accommodation for the application process (or when an employee requests reasonable accommodation for the job), the employer should engage in an interactive process with the individual to determine an effective reasonable accommodation. 65 Id. (emphasis added). As an example, the EEOC stated that an employer may at the pre-offer stage require an applicant to obtain documentation from a professional stating she cannot lift a certain amount and needs reasonable accommodation. Id.