Medical Documents for Reasonable Accommodation Requests at Work
When you ask for a reasonable accommodation at work, your employer might ask for medical documents. This fact sheet talks about what kind of medical documents an employer might ask for.
Medical Documents for Reasonable Accommodation Requests at Work FAQ
Can my employer ask for medical documents about my disability?
Yes, if your disability or need for an accommodation are not obvious.
Your employer can ask for limited medical documents to confirm:
- You have a disability.
- You need a reasonable accommodation.
In many cases, a note from your healthcare provider with this information is enough.
Your employer cannot ask for your full medical history. Requests for medical documents can only be to show you have a disability and that you need a reasonable accommodation.
What kind of documents could my employer ask for?
Employers can ask for reasonable documents that shows that you have a disability and need a reasonable accommodation because of your disability.
Some employers have forms they will ask you to have your healthcare provider fill out. Other employers may ask for a note from your healthcare provider that has this information.
Do my documents have to be from a doctor?
Documentation must come from an appropriate professional. This can be a healthcare provider or rehabilitation professional who can talk about your disability and how it affects you. Here are some examples:
- Doctors
- Licensed Mental Health Professionals
- Nurses
- Nurse Practitioners
- Occupational Therapists
- Physical Therapists
- Psychologists
- Speech Therapists
- Vocational Rehabilitation Specialists
My employer asked me to sign a form to allow them to talk to my healthcare provider . Do I have to sign it?
No. You do not have to sign a release that lets your employer talk to your healthcare provider or see all your medical records.
Instead, you can:
- Offer to get a note from your healthcare provider, or
- Ask your employer to write down their questions so you can give them to your healthcare provider.
You can also ask to change the release form, so it only shares the information needed for your request.
What should I ask my healthcare provider to put in the documents?
Ask your healthcare provider to include enough information to make it clear:
- That you have a disability, and
- Need a reasonable accommodation.
It is helpful if your healthcare provider states:
- How your disability affects you at work.
- What accommodations would help you.
- How the accommodations will help you.
- If you and your healthcare provider talked about specific accommodations that would help you, it is helpful if your healthcare provider lists them.
You can offer your healthcare provider a copy of the Equip for Equality’s resource for healthcare providers.
