It's not unusual to need a change at work because of a serious health condition or because of treatments for the condition. For instance, you may need time off to see a doctor, or to take a treatment, or because you feel sick in the morning. Perhaps you can't make it to the office, but you can work from home. You may be entitled to these and other accommodations under federal or state law, or because you are a member of a union.

The federal Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is the basic law in this area. Since the other federal and state laws follow the pattern of the ADA, this discussion will focus on the ADA. If you are a member of a union, check with your representative to see if you have additional rights.

As a practical matter, the key to getting the accommodation you want is to think through what to request and how to request it. Even if you satisfy all the requirements of the law, the employer gets the last word on whether to give you an accommodation, and, if so, what accommodation. The last thing you need is to sue to get what you need. Of course, you can enforce the law if it comes to that, but it's better to negotiate what you need if you can.

Even if you're not legally entitled to an accommodation, it's worth trying to obtain one to help you do your job. If you can't perform your job as expected without an accommodation you may well face being let go for poor performance.

There has to be a balance between your needs and those of your employer. The law refers to this balance as a "reasonable accommodation."

To obtain a reasonable accommodation other than through a union:

Step 1. Look at the law to determine whether you have a legal right to an accommodation.
Step 2. Decide what accommodation to request.
Step 3. Negotiate to get the accommodation you need.
Step 4. Follow-up your agreement with written confirmation.

If ultimately your employer is unreasonable, you can seek to enforce the law relatively easily by complaining to a governmental agency. If that doesn't work, you can go to court.

NOTE: If the accommodation you seek is a reduction in the number of hours you work, check eligibility provisions of all benefits you have through work to determine which, if any, are affected by the lower number of hours. For instance, many employers only offer health insurance and/or disability income insurance to full-time employees. "Full-time employees" are then defined by the number of hours a person works for the employer.

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