A frequent question at the Job Accommodation Network is whether the ADA requires employers to provide accommodations for a disabled employee who has trouble getting to and from work because of his or her condition. A related question is whether it makes any difference if the employee's only disability-related problem is the commute; if once at work, he or she has no problem performing the job.
The answer to the first question is "yes"; employers must consider some accommodations related to commuting problems. The answer to the second question is "no;" it doesn't matter whether the employee is able to perform the job fully without the need for accommodations at work.
According to informal guidance from the ADA Policy Division of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, although employers don't have to actually transport an employee with a disability to and from work (unless the employer provides this as a perk of employment), employers might have to provide other accommodations, such as changing an employee's schedule so that he or she can access available transportation, reassigning an employee to a location closer to home when the length of the commute is the problem, or allowing an employee to telecommute.
The underlying reason why employers might have to provide such accommodations is that the employer usually controls employee schedules and work locations; so, when a schedule or work location poses a barrier to an employee with a disability, the employer must consider reasonable accommodation to overcome this problem. As with any accommodation under the ADA, when considering accommodations related to commuting, employers can choose among effective accommodation options and do not have to provide an accommodation that poses an undue hardship.
Linda Carter Batiste, J.D.
The Job Accommodation Network