The interactive process is the employer-employee dialogue used to identify a reasonable workplace accommodation.
It usually involves exchanging information about job limitations, essential functions, possible accommodations, and feasibility.
Why the interactive process matters
Accommodation issues often require practical problem solving. The interactive process helps determine whether a workable accommodation exists without assuming the answer too early.
The process can also become important evidence if a later dispute asks whether an employer or employee responded reasonably.
Where the interactive process appears
The term appears in disability accommodation requests, religious accommodation requests, leave discussions, job modification requests, return-to-work planning, and employment discrimination disputes.
It may involve human resources, supervisors, medical documentation, job descriptions, and proposed accommodations.
How it differs from nearby terms
The interactive process is the discussion and evaluation process. A reasonable accommodation is the adjustment or change that may result from that process.
Failure to accommodate is a claim that the required accommodation duty was not met.
Practical example
An employee asks for a schedule change after a medical restriction. The employer reviews the essential job functions, asks for relevant information, and discusses possible schedules rather than denying the request immediately.
Related Terms
- Reasonable Accommodation
- Failure to Accommodate
- Discrimination
- Retaliation
- Adverse Employment Action
- Wrongful Termination
Quick check
Question: Is the interactive process the same as the final accommodation?
Answer: No. It is the discussion process used to evaluate possible accommodations.