What you need to know to comply with ADA law
By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
You likely know that attention deficit hyperactive disorder is a lifelong condition. But did you realize that the Americans with Disabilities Act covers ADHD in the workplace?
People with ADHD can request reasonable accommodations just like any other person with a disability.
“Someone would reach out to their supervisor and human resources to develop a plan for support for themselves to ensure their accommodations are fitting their needs,” said Leah Phaneuf, clinical director of integrated health with Liberty Resources in Syracuse. The nonprofit also has an office in Fulton.
This may happen during the hiring process or at anytime during the person’s career.
It’s important to note that some people do not know they have ADHD until adulthood. For example, many girls are overlooked in childhood because they often present differently than boys.
“Ideally we’d work to leverage their strengths and their challenges and how we can support them,” Phaneuf said.
Focusing on what employees do well can help them best benefit the employee and employer. In the case of people with ADHD, when they “hyperfocus” on a task, they can be particularly productive. But things that hamper their ability to work should be addressed.
“Some accommodations are just conversations with supervisors and more directions or breaking down assignments into actionable steps with more check-ins,” Phaneuf said. “Balancing staff style with supervisor style is really helpful. Supporting staff and understanding the access they have to technology makes a difference, as does helping them understand how those features work to their advantage like calendar reminders and apps.”
Training supervisors on leading people who have ADHD matters as well. They may need to follow up with staff more instead of saying, “I need this done in three weeks” and then asking for it in three weeks or longer.
“Accommodations can look very different for each person,” said Sarah Blaas-Towsley, Liberty Resources’ head of human resources. “As we know, one person with ADHD will not mirror another person’s needs. We look from an employee’s standpoint to engage in an interactive process around understanding what the needs are and balance with the program and role’s requirements, having this end goal of knowing what a position needs.
“Some managers have a standard way of training people. It’s proven successful. Really, helping the supervisor take a step back and realize that might not be how a particular person needs. That’s where interactive communication comes in.”
Sometimes, that includes discussing strategies that have worked in the past, such as flexible work arrangements or technology that can supplement the needs of any employee.
People with ADHD do not have to disclose their diagnosis. However, Blaas-Towsley said that it’s helpful, as it gives understanding.
“There have been a couple cases I’ve been involved in where an individual said background noise was a challenge to their success,” Blaas-Towsley said.
Noise canceling headphones and moving the employee to a quieter workspace helped them improve their productivity. For other employees, dictation software enable them to speak ideas rather than enter them manually into digital form.
Organization or prioritization problems often benefit from more check-ins from a supervisor and apps that can keep information handy and map out how the day will go.
“A supervisor may help them map out their day for five minutes each morning,” Blaas-Towsley said. “That can help them manage those priorities. We try to take a strength-based approach with everybody. That helps normalize the conversation around neurodiversity. It’s just part of who we are and what we do.”
Phaneuf added, “We say, ‘Once you meet a person with ADHD, you’ve met one person with ADHD.’ It’s not the breadth of what ADHD means. Our approach is person-centered.”
