Before proceeding, please review the  legal disclaimer.

Can a Texas Employer Deny a Request for Reasonable Accommodation?

If you’ve requested a workplace accommodation in Texas—whether for a medical condition, disability, or pregnancy—you may be wondering:

Can my employer legally say no?

The short answer is: sometimes yes, sometimes no.
Texas employers are required to provide reasonable accommodations under federal law in many situations—but there are limits.

Understanding when an employer can deny a request (and when they can’t) is critical to protecting your rights.

What Is a Reasonable Accommodation?

A reasonable accommodation is a change or adjustment to the workplace that allows an employee with a qualifying condition to perform essential job duties.

Common examples include:

• Modified work schedules

• Remote work arrangements

• Additional unpaid leave

• Reassignment to a vacant position

• Ergonomic equipment

• Temporary light-duty assignments

The goal is to enable the employee to perform essential job functions—not to eliminate them.

What Law Applies in Texas?

Texas follows federal disability law under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for most private employers with 15 or more employees.

Under the ADA, employers must:

• Provide reasonable accommodations

• Engage in an interactive process

• Avoid discrimination based on disability

Pregnancy-related accommodations may also be required under federal law.

When Can an Employer Deny an Accommodation?

An employer in Texas may legally deny an accommodation request if:

1. The Condition Does Not Qualify

The employee must have a disability as defined by law—a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity.

Not every medical issue qualifies.

2. The Employee Cannot Perform Essential Job Functions

If the accommodation would remove essential job duties entirely, the employer may deny it.

For example, if driving is an essential function of a delivery job, permanently removing driving responsibilities may not be required.

3. The Accommodation Creates Undue Hardship

Employers are not required to provide accommodations that would cause significant difficulty or expense.

Factors considered may include:

• Company size

• Financial resources

• Operational impact

However, “inconvenience” alone is not enough.

4. The Request Is Unreasonable

Some requests may go beyond what the law requires, such as:

• Indefinite leave with no return date

• Eliminating core responsibilities

• Creating entirely new positions

Employers are required to provide reasonable—not unlimited—accommodations.

What Employers Cannot Do

An employer cannot:

• Automatically deny a request without discussion

• Ignore the request entirely

• Retaliate against you for asking

• Demand unnecessary medical details

• Treat you differently after you request accommodation

Employers must engage in what is called the interactive process—a dialogue to determine what accommodations may work.

What Is the Interactive Process?

The interactive process is a back-and-forth conversation between employer and employee.

This may include:

• Requesting limited medical documentation

• Discussing job duties

• Exploring alternative accommodations

• Considering temporary versus permanent adjustments

An employer who refuses to engage in this process may be violating the law.

What About Remote Work?

After the shift toward remote work in recent years, many employees request work-from-home accommodations.

An employer may deny remote work if:

• Physical presence is essential

• Productivity cannot be maintained remotely

• Business operations would be disrupted

However, if remote work has been allowed previously, denying it may require stronger justification.

Can You Be Fired for Requesting an Accommodation?

No.
Requesting a reasonable accommodation is a protected activity.

If termination, demotion, or discipline follows shortly after your request, retaliation may be a legal issue.

Timing often matters in these cases.

What Employees Should Do

If your accommodation request is denied, consider:

• Requesting the denial in writing

• Asking for clarification about undue hardship

• Proposing alternative solutions

• Keeping copies of medical documentation

• Documenting all communications

Clear records can be important if a dispute arises.

Final Takeaway

A Texas employer can deny a request for reasonable accommodation—but only under specific legal circumstances.

They must consider the request seriously, engage in the interactive process, and provide accommodations unless doing so would create undue hardship or remove essential job functions.

If your request is dismissed without discussion or followed by negative treatment, understanding your rights is the first step toward protecting your position.