My Employer Fired Me After I Asked for a Disability Accommodation
The scenario
You asked for a change at work tied to a real medical need. A modified schedule, a piece of equipment, time for treatment, or a break in a rigid rule. Not long after, the tone shifted, and then you were let go. The reason had nothing to do with the request, they said. But the timing tells a different story.
What might be happening?
Two things may be happening at once. First, the law generally requires an employer to have a real conversation about a reasonable accommodation and to provide one unless it would cause serious difficulty or expense. A flat refusal to even discuss it can be a problem on its own. Second, asking for an accommodation is protected activity, so punishing you for asking can be retaliation.
The fingerprint again is timing and a reason that does not hold up. If everything was fine until you disclosed a need, and then the story became performance, look closely at whether that story existed before your request.
What should you document?
- The accommodation you asked for, and the date
- The need behind it (in your own words)
- Who you asked, and how
- How your employer responded
- Any medical notes you provided
- What changed after the request
- Your performance history before the request
- Emails, messages, and witnesses
Questions to ask
- Did your employer discuss the accommodation, or refuse outright?
- How soon after your request did things change?
- Was the reason for the discipline new, or long-standing?
- Were others with similar needs treated differently?
- Is there a written record of your request?
What deadline might apply?
Discrimination claims run on a strict clock. Depending on your state, you generally have 180 or 300 days from the act to file a charge with the EEOC. Miss it, and the federal door can close. Do not guess your date.
Based on your input, DN's deadline calculator indicates the windows that may apply to you.
Check your deadline →What happens next?
Disability and retaliation claims both go through the EEOC. You file a Charge, mark disability and retaliation as bases, and the agency investigates or offers mediation before any Notice of Right to Sue. Keep every piece of the accommodation conversation, because that record is often the heart of the case.
Your next step
Discrimination Navigator is an educational self-help tool, not a law firm, and this is general information, not legal advice. Every situation is different. If you want advice about your specific case, speak with a licensed employment attorney.