Workplace accommodations:
draft your request.

How do you ask for an accommodation?

The process varies by employer, jurisdiction, and what you're asking for. In the US, an ADA request can be made in plain language and doesn't have to go through HR, be in writing, or name a diagnosis. The employer must, however, understand that a medical condition is the reason a workplace change is needed.

The reason people stall isn't the process. It's the blank page. Putting your own working difficulties into words is uncomfortable, and doing it while worrying about how it'll be received makes it harder still. So the request stays in your head for months, the friction stays in your week, and nothing changes.

That's what the builder above is for. It gives you a first draft to react to, which is a far easier task than writing one. Edit it, cut half of it, change the tone—the point is having something on the page to argue with.

One useful distinction is between asking for an ordinary workplace change and requesting a disability accommodation. An employer may agree to the first without medical information. A US ADA request needs the medical connection above, and the employer may seek limited documentation when the disability or need isn't obvious. Which route fits depends on your goal, workplace, and jurisdiction; this builder doesn't prescribe an order.

What makes a request land?

A concrete request can be easier to evaluate than "I need more support." For example, "send the agenda the day before" gives both sides something specific to discuss. It's a starting point, not a guarantee: an effective accommodation is assessed against the individual job, need, alternatives, and—where relevant—the employer's undue-hardship analysis.

Pair each barrier with a possible change. That helps explain the connection between what's happening and what might help, without implying that you must know the only workable answer. An employer may propose another effective accommodation, an outcome that can be misread as a refusal—here's what an employer can and can't turn down.

Include the barriers and changes that matter to your situation. A shorter first draft may be easier to discuss, but there's no evidence-based maximum and a long list doesn't make someone less credible. You can group related requests or prioritise them if that helps you communicate what matters most.

Explain how the barrier affects your work and how the proposed change may help. Comfort, access, communication, attendance, concentration, and the ability to perform a job function can all be relevant; you don't need to turn every need into a productivity promise.

If you're comfortable doing so, invite questions and effective alternatives. That can support an individual discussion without conceding that the barrier or need is optional.

Should you tell them you're neurodivergent?

There's no answer to this that holds for everyone. ADHD-specific research associates psychological safety and stigma consciousness with disclosure decisions, while qualitative accounts include both supportive and harmful responses. Those studies can't predict how a particular workplace or script will turn out.

Naming a diagnosis and requesting an accommodation are different acts. In the US, an ADA request must tell the employer that a medical condition requires a workplace change, but it doesn't have to name the diagnosis or use legal phrases. Naming a diagnosis may provide a shared explanation; it doesn't by itself establish coverage or guarantee a change.

Naming it also reduces your control over who knows. How the information may be shared depends on how it was provided, the law where you work, and the employer's process. US ADA medical information has confidentiality rules with limited exceptions; an informal social disclosure may create different practical risks.

The middle option gets overlooked. You can describe how you work and what you need without naming anything at all and ask whether an employer will agree to an ordinary workplace change. If you need a US ADA request rather than an ordinary preference, the employer must understand that a medical condition is why the change is needed.

Whatever you choose, decide how much you want to say before the conversation if you can. The drafts above are starting points, not a formula for a legal or social outcome.

What if they say no?

A request may be declined because the employer disputes eligibility, says the proposed change wouldn't be effective, identifies an undue hardship, or offers an alternative. Those are different issues, and their legal significance depends on the facts and jurisdiction.

You can ask which part of the request didn't work and whether an alternative is available. A dated written follow-up may help both sides keep track of what was discussed, but it isn't a substitute for jurisdiction-specific advice or a required filing deadline.

Depending on the facts and where you work, a union representative, HR contact, employee network, disability advocacy organisation, agency, or employment lawyer may help. This page can draft a message. It can't tell you what you're entitled to or prescribe the order of escalation.

Preserve relevant records: dates, what was asked, and what came back. Follow lawful handling and retention rules for employer information, and get advice if you're unsure what you can keep or where.

Repeated refusal may also raise a personal question about whether the job is sustainable. That decision is separate from whether a denial was lawful; get jurisdiction-specific advice before assuming that leaving is the only option or giving up a deadline or remedy.

Common questions

Sources for the US legal details

The US-specific statements on this page are based on current Equal Employment Opportunity Commission guidance. They are general information, not legal advice.

• EEOC: The ADA—Your Responsibilities as an Employer
• EEOC: Reasonable Accommodation and Undue Hardship Under the ADA
• EEOC: Disability-Related Inquiries and Medical Examinations