Can I work from home as an accommodation request?
Yes, you can request to work from home as a reasonable accommodation in Washington State. The feasibility and approval of such a request will depend on several factors, including the nature of your job, your medical condition, and whether the accommodation would cause undue hardship to your employer. If your doctor/provider determines working from home is an accommodation you can request, review your employer’s policies and procedures or employee handbook regarding how to engage with your employer to start the process for this accommodation. Your employer may request specific paperwork to be completed by you and your medical or mental health provider to accompany your accommodations request. Each case is unique, so the specific circumstances and job requirements will ultimately determine whether working from home is a viable accommodation.
If you believe you are experiencing issues related to requesting accommodations, it's important to document your requests and your employer’s responses. This documentation can be valuable evidence if you decide to pursue legal action. Your employer may also have resources and/or policies and procedures related to reporting concerns you have related to issues related to requesting accommodations and how to communicate with them about your concerns. There may also be internal grievance process to follow within your employer’s company and/or the union, if applicable.
Should you have any questions about your rights as an employee who is on or has experienced issues related to requesting accommodations and are concerned about possible retaliation or discrimination from your employer, please contact our office to speak with an accommodations lawyer.
Here is the EEOC guidance that was issued on working from home/telework as a reasonable accommodation: