Reasonable Accommodation & the Interactive Process in California

Employers with 5 or more employees must provide reasonable accommodation to a qualified applicant or employee with a known physical or mental disability or medical condition — unless it would cause undue hardship — and must engage in a timely, good-faith interactive process to find one. Pregnancy-related conditions are covered too.

The duty is triggered by a request orby the employer simply becoming aware of a need — the employee does not have to use the words “reasonable accommodation.” Once you are on notice, the clock starts.

• Have a genuine dialogue to identify effective options.
• You may request medical information about limitations — not the underlying diagnosis.
• Explore alternatives together; document the steps and outcomes.
• It is ongoing, not one-and-done — revisit if circumstances change.

Modified or reduced schedules, a leave of absence, assistive equipment, remote work, job restructuring, or reassignment to a vacant position. A finite leave can itself be a reasonable accommodation — and it often overlaps with CFRA/PDL/FMLA leave rights.

“Undue hardship” means significant difficulty or expense judged against the employer's size and resources. It is rarely a quick way out — courts expect a real effort first.