Can an employer maintain existing production/performance standards for an employee with a disability?

An employer can hold employees with disabilities to the same standards of production/performance as other similarly situated employees without disabilities for performing essential job functions, though employees with disabilities may be entitled to reasonable accommodations in order to meet such standards.

An employer also can hold employees with disabilities to the same standards of production/performance as other employees regarding marginal functions unless the disability affects the person's ability to perform those marginal functions. If the ability to perform marginal functions is affected by the disability, the employer must provide some type of reasonable accommodation such as job restructuring but may not exclude an individual with a disability who is satisfactorily performing a job's essential functions.


For additional information, take a look at the following resource:

FAQ: What are the "essential functions" of a job?