What accommodations actually get approved
In the US, ADA Title I activates an interactive process the moment an employee requests adjustment for a medical condition; the UK Equality Act 2010 imposes a parallel reasonable-adjustments duty on employers of any size. The practical list that consistently gets approved clusters around structure, communication, and environment:
- Written follow-ups — meeting action items and instructions in writing (offloads working memory).
- Check-ins on schedule — regular brief syncs so deadlines do not silently lapse (prospective-memory scaffolding).
- Deadline nesting — interim milestones, not one final date (time-blindness accommodation).
- Quiet workspace or noise-cancelling allowances — sensory-filtering relief.
- Meeting agenda ahead of time and single-threaded agendas (executive load reduction).
- Movement breaks — no penalty for short physical resets.
- Voice-to-text or dictation permission for long written outputs.
- Recorded or transcribed meetings — removes the “hold it all in memory” demand.
The script that works
The request should be functional, not diagnostic. Frame it as a performance improvement with a low-cost mechanism, not as a medical confession:
“I’d like to request a small adjustment: could action items from our meetings be sent in writing after each call? Written follow-ups would help me keep everything moving reliably, and it costs us nothing. Happy to talk through options.”
Two pointers: ask for the change, not the label; and give the employer the mechanism (“written follow-ups help me remember”) alongside the outcome (“fewer dropped items”).
Why this is not a weakness request
Accommodations are not perks; they remove structural mismatch. The mismatch between a job designed for intact working memory and a brain that externalises better is the entire problem — the same mismatch our executive dysfunction guide explains at mechanism level. If you are not ready to ask your employer yet, start with the self-directed layer — coaching (guide) or a planner that holds the writing for you (AI planner review).
FAQ
Do I have to disclose my diagnosis?
In most regimes you request the adjustment for a medical condition without naming a specific diagnosis; the employer needs enough to engage the process, not your full file.
What if my employer is small?
The UK Equality Act duty applies to any-size employers. Cost still matters, so lead with the zero-cost asks like written follow-ups and meeting agendas.
What if the request is refused?
Ask for the written reason and for alternatives that meet the same need. The interactive process itself is part of the legal duty in several jurisdictions.