Has anyone tried asking their company for items that they had in the office like a standing desk or ergonomic chair?
Wondering what your experience was like if you did. I have both of these things in my office but don't have either of these at home and our company is still having employees work from home full time.
Does anyone know if employers have an obligation to provide these as we work from home?
Anonymous
01/26/21 at 10:07PM UTC
Agreed that HR is a great starting place and that while it's not required, it might be worth inquiring — it's at least worth starting the conversation! Has your company offered any other resources since you started working from home?
Anonymous
01/27/21 at 12:59AM UTC
They’ve reminded us about available mental health resources but they haven’t really proactively offered anything in terms of items like this while we’re home. I know HR typically handles requests like this but I’m afraid the answer will be no to anything I ask for and I’m not sure how to else to support my case.
Sarah McMullen
68
01/26/21 at 2:38PM UTC
Hi! You're definitely not the only one who is in this situation. A lot of people have been asking the same question. I recommend that you talk to your manager and HR, or whoever typically handles accommodation requests. Your company might have a specific accommodation team as well. If you're unsure, your manager and/or HR is a great starting point, or you can look on your company's website to see if you can find an accommodation statement. That would include the contact information for who to reach out to on that team.
As for whether employers are obligated to provide the requested accommodation, it unfortunately is not a requirement. It is, however, required by law that they thoroughly review all accommodation requests to determine if the item can be provided. Their decision and reasoning should be shared back with you.
