Have any of you taken advantage of this before?

I am about to go have a discussion with my employer about accomodations for my ADD. In particular, I'm looking for a more flexible schedule and someone (a project manager, perhaps?) to help organize, schedule, and prioritize the numerous projects and tasks that have to be dealt with. Wish me luck.

I tried to setup this with my employer and they did not help me at all.
I asked for a fixed schedule because our schedules always changed and it threw off my routine that I need to maintain to stay focused.
They did not help me at all. That simple adjustment would have helped me a lot. I have had a doctor even once tell me that I should be offered a closed room where it is quiet or in a quiet area where I have no distractions.

Try telling that to ANY empoyer.

What reason did they give for not honoring your request? If they have more than 15 employees, they can't simply "deny" your request unless it would cause the company undue hardship.

http://eeoc.gov/facts/accommodation.html

"Undue hardship refers not only to financial difficulty, but to reasonable accommodations that are unduly extensive or disruptive, or those that would fundamentally alter the nature or operation of the business."

I can't imagine many businesses that would suffer undue hardship by letting an employee have a fixed schedule. Having a quiet area to assist your focus isn't unreasonable either. If your employer refuses to cooperate, you should speak with your local EEOC office about the problem.

Wow, I just read the other two threads you've been posting in about your previous job, and I am floored. Your former employer broke the law. You need to talk to your local EEOC office as soon as they open tomorrow morning. This is called discrimination, and is illegal. Your employer cannot simply deny a reasonable request, but they especially can't then fire you for failing to do things that the accomodation would have helped you do. They may as well have had someone ask for a wheelchair ramp, refused to install one, and then fired them for not being able to get up the stairs.

The EEOC gives you 60 days to file a complaint, but if your state has anti-discrimination laws that window opens up to 300 days. California does have those laws. You should file a complaint as soon as possible.

What if you don't want to complain, or feel bad for taking advantage of a law like this? You shouldn't feel bad about it at all. It's not right that this company refused to work with you, accomodate your needs, and then fired you and made you feel so bad about the entire situation. Reasonable accomodation is your right. You have a right to be able to work alongside your peers without being hindered by your disability. And I can tell you from personal experience that filing the complaint and working with the EEOC will not only make you feel better about the experience, but will help any other people with disabilities in that company.

I have read the laws they can deny anything simply by saying " it is going to cost our company more than we can allocate for this reason so they would say its too expensive and say your gone cause we cant afford you"

What reason did they give for not honoring your request? If they have more than 15 employees, they can't simply "deny" your request unless it would cause the company undue hardship.

http://eeoc.gov/facts/accommodation.html

"Undue hardship refers not only to financial difficulty, but to reasonable accommodations that are unduly extensive or disruptive, or those that would fundamentally alter the nature or operation of the business."

I can't imagine many businesses that would suffer undue hardship by letting an employee have a fixed schedule. Having a quiet area to assist your focus isn't unreasonable either. If your employer refuses to cooperate, you should speak with your local EEOC office about the problem.

I have read the laws they can deny anything simply by saying " it is going to cost our company more than we can allocate for this reason so they would say its too expensive and say your gone cause we cant afford you"It isn't that simple. They can claim that, but then they have to prove it. That is *very* hard for them to prove. For example, does your company have a holiday party? If so, then their denial probably won't fly. It's worth talking to a lawyer who specializes in ADA cases and your local EEOC office.