Work Accommodations for Adult ADHD

Work accommodations for adult ADHD can help people with ADHD manage their symptoms and perform their jobs to the best of their abilities. Some common accommodations include:

• Reduced distractions: This may include providing a quiet workspace, noise-canceling headphones, or allowing the employee to work from home.
• Time management assistance: This may include providing the employee with a calendar or planner, setting up reminders, or breaking down large tasks into smaller, more manageable ones.
• Flexible scheduling: This may include allowing the employee to start and end their workday at different times, or to take breaks throughout the day.
• Assistive technology: This may include providing the employee with software that helps them stay focused or organized, or hardware such as a standing desk or fidget toy.
• Job restructuring: This may involve changing the employee’s job duties or responsibilities to better align with their strengths and abilities.

It is important to note that not all people with ADHD will need the same accommodations. The best way to determine what accommodations are right for you is to talk to your doctor or a mental health professional. They can help you assess your needs and develop a plan to request accommodations from your employer.

Here are some specific examples of work accommodations for adult ADHD:

• For someone who has difficulty staying focused:
• Provide a quiet workspace or noise-canceling headphones.
• Allow the employee to work from home.
• Break down large tasks into smaller, more manageable ones.
• Set deadlines and reminders.
• Allow the employee to take breaks throughout the day.

For someone who has difficulty organizing their time:

• Provide the employee with a calendar or planner.
• Help the employee set priorities and deadlines.
• Break down large tasks into smaller, more manageable ones.
• Provide the employee with software that helps them stay organized.
• For someone who has difficulty paying attention in meetings:
• Provide the employee with a copy of the meeting agenda and any relevant materials in advance.
• Allow the employee to record the meeting and listen to it later.
• Allow the employee to take breaks during the meeting.
• Allow the employee to sit in a quiet area of the meeting room.

For someone who has difficulty sitting still:

• Provide the employee with a standing desk or fidget toy.
• Allow the employee to take breaks to move around.
• Allow the employee to work from home.

If you are an employee with ADHD and are interested in requesting accommodations, you should start by talking to your manager or HR department. You may need to provide OWCP documentation of your ADHD diagnosis from a doctor or mental health professional. Once you have requested accommodations, your employer will work with you to develop a plan that meets your needs and the needs of the business.

It is important to remember that employers are required to provide reasonable work accommodations to employees with disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). However, employers are not required to provide accommodations that would create an undue hardship for the business.