On July 26, 2023, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) updated its Visual Disabilities in the Workplace and the Americans with Disabilities Act guide that explains how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to job applicants and employees with visual disabilities. It outlines when an employer may ask an applicant or employee questions about their vision, how an employer should treat voluntary disclosures about visual disabilities, and what types of reasonable accommodations those with visual disabilities may need in the workplace.
The updated guide also:
- Highlights new technologies for reasonable accommodation and how using artificial intelligence and algorithms to make employment decisions can impact individuals with visual disabilities;
- Addresses how an employer should handle safety concerns about applicants and employees with visual disabilities;
- Addresses how an employer can ensure that no employee is harassed because of a visual disability; and
- Discusses harassment and retaliation.
The EEOC’s disability discrimination landing page provides more information about disability discrimination, and the Job Accommodation Network (AskJAN) is a resource for workplace accommodations.