You finally return to work after an injury or illness, armed with a doctor’s note outlining your limitations. Maybe it says no heavy lifting, fewer hours, or modified duties. You expect a conversation. Instead, your employer responds with words that instantly raise anxiety: “We can’t accommodate those restrictions.”
At that moment, one question takes over: what happens next?
Did you lose your job? Do benefits start? Can they force you to work anyway—or fire you?
If you’re facing this situation, you’re not alone. This article explains what happens if my employer cannot accommodate work restrictions, breaking down your legal rights, available benefits, realistic options, and clear next steps. The information applies to both work-related injuries and non-work-related medical conditions, though outcomes can differ depending on the cause.
We focus on federal protections like the ADA, workers’ compensation laws, and FMLA, while noting that state laws may provide additional rights. By the end, you’ll understand where you stand, what protections apply, and how to protect both your health and your future.
Understanding Work Restrictions and Reasonable Accommodations
What Are Work Restrictions?
Work restrictions are medical limitations prescribed by a healthcare provider to protect your health while you recover or manage a condition. These restrictions define what you can safely do on the job.
Common work restrictions include:
Common work restrictions include lifting or carrying limits, standing or sitting requirements, reduced or modified work hours, environmental limits such as exposure to heat, chemicals, or noise, and restrictions on bending, reaching, or repetitive motions. These limitations are typically prescribed by a doctor to ensure the employee can work safely without aggravating their condition.
Restrictions may be temporary, such as during recovery, or permanent if your condition has stabilized. They are usually documented through doctor’s notes, medical reports, or functional capacity evaluations.
What Qualifies as a “Reasonable Accommodation”?
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a reasonable accommodation is a workplace change that allows an employee with a disability to perform their job without causing undue hardship to the employer.
Examples include:
Examples of reasonable accommodations include modified schedules or reduced hours, ergonomic tools or equipment, job restructuring by removing non-essential tasks, reassignment to a vacant position, and work-from-home or hybrid arrangements. Employers are required to participate in an interactive process, engaging in a good-faith discussion to explore all possible accommodations that allow the employee to perform their job safely and effectively.
When Accommodations Are NOT Required
An employer is not required to accommodate if:
An employer is not required to provide accommodations if doing so would cause undue hardship, if you cannot perform essential job functions even with accommodations, or if the accommodation would fundamentally alter business operations. Additionally, if no vacant position is available, employers are generally not obligated to create new jobs to accommodate restrictions.
Your Legal Rights: Federal and State Protections
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
The ADA applies to employers with 15 or more employees and provides protections for individuals with disabilities. It defines disability broadly, requires reasonable accommodation, and prohibits discrimination and retaliation. Employers must conduct individualized assessments rather than applying blanket rules, meaning they cannot simply claim that accommodation is impossible without a thorough analysis of options.
Workers’ Compensation Laws
Workers’ compensation is governed by state law and applies to work-related injuries or illnesses. Employers are required to cover medical treatment, offer suitable work if available, and pay disability benefits if returning to your regular duties isn’t possible. Many states also encourage return-to-work programs to help employees transition back safely.
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
The FMLA provides eligible employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave, including options for intermittent leave as needed. It also ensures continued health insurance coverage during the leave period. FMLA protections often overlap with ADA and workers’ compensation, creating additional layers of job and benefit security for employees with medical restrictions.
State-Specific Laws
Some states provide broader protections than federal law. For example, California’s FEHA extends coverage to smaller employers and expands accommodation duties. It is important to always check your state laws to understand the full scope of your rights and protections.
Important Distinction
An important distinction is whether your condition is work-related or non-work-related, as this directly affects your benefits eligibility, the level of job protection you have, and your employer’s obligations regarding accommodations and leave.
What Actually Happens When Your Employer Says “We Can’t Accommodate You”
Work-Related Injury or Illness
If your restrictions result from a workplace injury, you cannot be forced to return to work if reasonable accommodations are not possible, ensuring your safety while your recovery and benefits are managed under workers’ compensation.
In that case, workers’ compensation benefits apply:
In that case, workers’ compensation benefits apply. Temporary Total Disability (TTD) is provided if you cannot work at all, while Temporary Partial Disability (TPD) applies if you can perform limited duties. Benefits typically amount to about two-thirds of your average weekly wage and continue throughout your recovery. A claims administrator manages payments and communication, and benefits usually begin after a short waiting period.
Non-Work-Related Disability
If your condition did not occur at work, the FMLA may provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to protect your job during recovery. In some cases, unpaid leave may also qualify as a reasonable accommodation, but it’s important to note that job protection is not indefinite, and your employer may fill your position or take other actions once the protected period ends.
After a reasonable period, your employer may fill your position. You may need to consider:
After a reasonable period, your employer may fill your position, which could impact your job security and access to benefits. In this situation, you may need to consider COBRA to continue your health insurance coverage and explore SSDI or SSI as options for income support while you are unable to work.
Employer Offers an Alternative Position
If your employer offers an alternative or light-duty position, it must meet your medical restrictions to ensure you can perform the work safely. Pay is often set at a minimum of 85% of your prior wages, and you usually have 30 days or less to accept the offer. Be aware that refusing suitable work can potentially jeopardize your benefits, so consider the offer carefully in consultation with your doctor or legal advisor.
Critical Point: Inability vs. Unwillingness
A critical point to understand is the difference between inability and unwillingness. Many employers have the capacity to accommodate work restrictions but choose not to, and it is the employer’s responsibility to demonstrate undue hardship if they claim accommodations are impossible. If you suspect discrimination, make sure to document everything, including communications, requests, and responses, to protect your rights.
Benefits You May Be Entitled To
Workers’ Compensation Benefits
Temporary Total Disability (TTD)
Temporary Total Disability (TTD) benefits are paid when you cannot work at all due to a work-related injury or medical restriction, typically covering a portion of your average weekly wage during your recovery period.
Temporary Partial Disability (TPD)
Temporary Partial Disability (TPD) provides compensation for wage differences when an employee can perform light-duty work but is temporarily restricted from performing their full job duties.
Permanent Partial Disability (PPD)
Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) benefits apply when an employee has permanent restrictions that limit their ability to perform certain job functions, providing compensation for the lasting impact of the injury or medical condition.
Permanent Total Disability (PTD)
Permanent Total Disability (PTD) benefits apply to severe, long-term disabilities that prevent an individual from performing any work, offering long-term financial support.
Medical Treatment
Medical treatment includes coverage for ongoing care related to your work restrictions and provides the right to seek a second medical opinion if necessary to ensure proper evaluation and treatment.
Social Security Disability Benefits
SSDI
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) requires that you have sufficient work credits earned through previous employment. There is a five-month waiting period before benefits begin, and the monthly benefit amount is calculated based on your prior earnings.
SSI
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a need-based program designed for individuals with limited income and resources. It has lower income limits than SSDI and can offer faster eligibility in some cases, providing financial support while you are unable to work.
Other Benefits to Consider
Other benefits to consider include short-term or long-term disability insurance, participation in state disability programs available in places like CA, NY, NJ, RI, and HI, limited unemployment eligibility in certain circumstances, and continuation of health insurance coverage through COBRA to help maintain financial stability during periods when work accommodations are not possible.
Steps to Take When Your Employer Cannot (or Won’t) Accommodate
Get Everything in Writing
Always get everything in writing by requesting written explanations from your employer and keeping detailed medical documentation of your work restrictions, doctor’s notes, and all related communications.
Verify the Interactive Process
Ensure that your employer genuinely explored accommodations by verifying that the interactive process was followed in good faith, including discussions about possible adjustments or alternatives to meet your work restrictions.
Request Alternative Positions
You should request alternative positions by asking about vacant roles, light-duty assignments, or possible reassignments that align with your medical restrictions and allow you to continue working safely.
Understand Your Benefits
It is important to understand your benefits by filing claims early and carefully reviewing your insurance policies to ensure you receive all entitled payments and coverage while managing your work restrictions.
Communicate Clearly and Professionally
Always communicate clearly and professionally by being factual, timely, and specific in all interactions with your employer, ensuring that your requests, limitations, and responses are well-documented and easy to understand.
Know When to Seek Legal Help
You should seek legal help, especially if your employer denies accommodations or benefits, refuses to engage in the interactive process, asks you to perform work against medical restrictions, or if you suspect retaliation or discrimination. An attorney can guide you through your options and protect your rights.
File Complaints if Necessary
If necessary, you can file complaints with the EEOC for disability discrimination, the workers’ compensation board for work-related injury disputes, your state labor department for wage or workplace issues, or OSHA if there are safety concerns, ensuring your rights are formally protected.
Can Your Employer Fire You? Understanding Job Protection
When You’re Protected
You are protected from termination or retaliation during FMLA leave, while receiving workers’ compensation benefits, when a reasonable accommodation is possible, and from any form of retaliation for requesting or utilizing accommodations or benefits related to your medical restrictions.
When Termination May Be Legal
Termination may be legal when no reasonable accommodation is feasible, when an employee cannot perform the essential functions of the job even with accommodation, or when providing an accommodation would create a genuine undue hardship for the employer based on factors such as cost, resources, or the nature of the business.
Red Flags of Illegal Termination
Red flags of illegal termination include being fired shortly after requesting a reasonable accommodation, seeing policies enforced inconsistently against you compared to other employees, or being told you must be “100% healed” before returning to work, which is generally unlawful under the ADA because employers must assess your ability to work on an individual basis rather than require full recovery.
What If You Disagree with Your Employer’s Decision?
You can challenge a refusal by
You can challenge a refusal by requesting a detailed explanation of the employer’s claimed hardship and how it was evaluated, then proposing alternative accommodations that would still allow you to perform your job safely and effectively. You can also use Job Accommodation Network (JAN) resources, which offer free, practical guidance and accommodation ideas that may help demonstrate workable solutions your employer should consider.
Formal options include
Formal options include filing an EEOC charge within the required 180–300 day deadline, pursuing a workers’ compensation appeal if the issue involves a work-related injury, or seeking resolution through mediation, arbitration, or litigation with legal counsel. Throughout any of these processes, documentation is critical, so keep detailed records of medical restrictions, accommodation requests, employer responses, and all related communications.
Special Considerations and Common Questions
Permanent restrictions may trigger vocational rehabilitation or settlement options.
Small employers may be exempt from ADA but not state laws.
Health insurance options vary widely.
You’re not required to disclose restrictions during interviews unless accommodation is needed.
Part-time or modified schedules may still count as returning to work, depending on benefits.
Final Thoughts
If you’re wondering what happens if my employer cannot accommodate work restrictions, the key takeaway is this: you have rights. Employers cannot force you to work beyond medical limits, and multiple benefit options may be available.
Document everything. Act quickly. Seek professional guidance when needed.
Your health and safety come first, and the law recognizes that.
If this situation applies to you, don’t handle it alone. The right steps—taken early—can protect your income, your job rights, and your long-term wellbeing.
FAQs
1. Can my employer force me to work with restrictions?
No. Employers cannot require work that violates medical restrictions.
2. Will I get paid if my employer can’t accommodate me?
You may qualify for workers’ comp, disability benefits, or unpaid protected leave.
3. Can I be fired if accommodations aren’t possible?
Sometimes, only after legal requirements are met.
4. Does this apply to non-work injuries?
Yes, but benefits and job protection differ.
5. Should I talk to a lawyer?
Yes, especially if accommodations or benefits are denied.
