Qualified Individual with a Disability:
An applicant or employee with a disability who has the qualifications for the position desired or held (through training, education, experience) and who can perform the position’s essential functions with or without accommodations.
Disability:
A mental or physical impairment, or record or perception of a mental or physical impairment, that substantially limits one or more major life activities (e.g., the ability to walk, talk, see, hear, breathe, learn, sleep, take care of oneself, or work).
Reasonable Accommodation:
Any modification that permits a qualified individual (applicant, employee) with a disability to perform the essential functions of a position without imposing undue hardship on the employer.
Undue Hardship:
An accommodation that is unduly costly, extensive, or disruptive to the employer.
Essential Functions:
Those duties that exist as the very purpose for the position and must be performed by the person holding the position. Essential functions must be distinguished from marginal functions which may be eliminated or reassigned to other employees. Factors to consider are:
- the number of employees available to perform the function
- the consequences of not having the function performed
- whether the function requires special skills for which the employee was hired