Question
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Followup To
Question -
My husband has EDS and is having problems getting his workplace to understand and provide ADA regulated accomodations.  They want an explanation letter as to what EDS is and why he'd need the accomadations. What would be the best way to describe EDS to an employer and what accomadations would be necessary?  How can I state this for them so they might understand?  Thank you for your time.

Answer -
Hi Heather,

They can't ask for anything more than a letter from the doctor that states that he has EDS, what accommodations he requires, and why he needs the accommodation.

Here are two resources that discuss what the employer can and can't ask for.

The Americans with Disabilities Act: A Primer for Small Business
http://www.eeoc.gov/ada/adahandbook.html

ADA Accommodations: A Step-by-Step Guide
http://www.ppspublishers.com/articles/ada_guide.htm#Step%20One:%20The%20Request%

"Step Two: Certifying the Disability"

"Reasonable documentation may include information that supports the existence of the disability, its functional limitations, and the need for an accommodation so the individual may perform the job."

"The ADA also does not allow you to require documentation that is unrelated to the particular accommodation or disability, such as requesting that the individual provide a complete medical history. Further, if the individual has an obvious disability, you may not require him to provide medical certification of his disability. However, you may be able to request information to verify the need for an accommodation, unless that need is also obvious."

In the case of EDS, the accommodation needs vary by the individual.  If you need help with getting the information the doctor needs to write the documentation, let me know.

-Barb
[email protected]

Followup---

"If you need help with getting the information the doctor needs to write the documentation, let me know. "
Any help would be greatly appreciated.  His Doctor is awesome but his take on EDS a lot of the time is to ask what Richard thinks he needs.  He wants a letter telling him what to write and I'm not sure what to put in it or how to word it. Any suggestions?  

Answer
Hi Heather,

What accommodations does he need?  What are his specific problems?  I can help him with writing the letter and what med info to put in in, but would need to know what accommodations he needs and why he needs them - i.e. a headset to avoid neck strain, an ergonomic keyboard to reduce wrist pain, etc.  What line of work is he in?  What are his job functions?  What does he have difficulty doing?

You can email me direct at [email protected].

-Barb