Reasonable Accommodations for Employees With Autism: A Practical Guide
Because April is World Autism Awareness Month, it’s an appropriate time for employers to assess whether their hiring practices and workplace accommodations are inclusive for job candidates and employees who are on the autism spectrum. Quick Hits About 2 percent of U.S. adults have autism. The rate of autism diagnoses among U.S. adults is speeding up. Employers must provide reasonable accommodations to employees with a qualifying disability, which may include autism. Autism is a condition characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech, and communication. It is one of the conditions included under the broader umbrella of neurodiversity or neurodivergence. Some people with autism have other medical conditions that affect their autism symptoms, such as anxiety, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), insomnia, or dyslexia . Autism is a spectrum of symptoms with wide variances in how it manifests for eac...