Detroit Regional Chamber > Support for People with Long COVID, Guide to Workplace Accomodations

Support for People with Long COVID, Guide to Workplace Accomodations

August 4, 2021
To mark the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, the White House recently released a number of resources to support people managing Long COVID. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Long COVID is a post-COVID-19 condition that may involve new, returning, or ongoing health problems experienced four or more weeks after initial COVID-19 infection. Certain post-COVID-19 can occur in people who had mild illness or those who didn’t show initial symptoms. These individuals may experience a combination of some of the following:

  • Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
  • Tiredness or fatigue
  • Symptoms that get worse after physical or mental activities
  • Difficulty thinking or concentrating (sometimes referred to as “brain fog”)
  • Cough

View the broader list from the CDC here.

To support those experiencing Long COVID, the White House released these resources:

The fact sheet provides information about where individuals can access resources and accommodations and clarifies the rights for health and educational services and supports, including:

  • Guidance explaining that long COVID can be a disability under various Federal civil rights laws.
  • Guidance that addresses the needs of children with long COVID who may be children with disabilities.
  • Access to resources on disability support services.
  • Information about accommodations in the workplace.

In the blog post, you can learn about the workplace accommodations you may be entitled to to be able to do your job. What’s important to know is that even if you don’t think of yourself as having a disability, you may meet the Americans with Disabilities Act definition. The article answers some commonly asked questions like:

  • How do I know if I’m entitled to workplace accommodations?
  • How do I ask for an accommodation?
  • What type of information can my employer request when I ask for an accommodation?

You can learn more about this topic at the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy’s webpage with resources regarding COVID-19 and long COVID-19 for workers, employers, youth, and policymakers. And the ODEP-funded Job Accommodation Network is a free resource to help you or your employer brainstorm accommodation ideas.