Like using a ramp instead of stairs, a reasonable accommodation is an adjustment that lets someone with a disability do a job, use a service, or take part in everyday activities without changing the basic nature of what is being offered. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it usually means a practical change such as modified duties, a different schedule, extra leave, assistive equipment, or changes to the workplace so a qualified person can perform the essential parts of the job.

On the job, this matters when an injury, chronic condition, or medical restriction keeps a worker from doing things the usual way. An employer does not have to remove essential job functions or accept an undue hardship, but it does have to take part in an interactive process to see whether a workable adjustment exists. In Massachusetts, disability bias in employment is also covered by Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 151B, enforced by the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination.

For an injury claim, the issue can affect wage loss, return-to-work disputes, and whether a worker was pushed out instead of being given a fair chance to stay employed. After a car crash or other injury, accommodation questions may come up alongside workers' compensation, PIP benefits, or a discrimination claim. If an employer refuses a reasonable fix without a valid reason, that refusal can become a separate legal problem.