How to Tell Your Employer You Need a Service Dog

First, understand that work is different from public access

Many people know that the Americans with Disabilities Act addresses service-dog access in restaurants, stores, hotels, and other public places.

A workplace is different.

Employment protections fall under Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act. A worker will typically request the service dog as a reasonable accommodation rather than simply bringing the dog to work under public-access rules.

Covered employers must consider reasonable-accommodation requests from qualified employees with disabilities unless the accommodation would create an undue hardship. The employee and employer may need to participate in an informal, interactive process to understand the request and identify an effective accommodation.

Federal ADA Title I generally applies to employers with 15 or more employees. State and local disability laws may provide additional protections or apply to smaller employers.

When should you tell your employer?

Consider making the request as soon as you know a workplace barrier is affecting—or is likely to affect—your ability to perform your job or access the benefits of employment.

You do not need to wait until your performance suffers. You also are not prevented from requesting an accommodation because you did not disclose a disability when applying for the job.

According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, an accommodation may be requested during the application process or at any time during employment.

Who should you talk to?

Every workplace is different. The appropriate person may be:

• Human Resources
• Your direct supervisor
• An ADA or accommodations coordinator
• Your manager

If your employer has an accommodation policy, review and follow it. However, an employee does not need to use special legal language or specifically say “ADA” or “reasonable accommodation” to make a request. The employee must communicate that a workplace change is needed for a reason related to a medical condition.

You don’t have to reveal everything

You are requesting a workplace accommodation—not inviting your employer into every detail of your medical history.

If the disability and need for the accommodation are not obvious, an employer may request reasonable documentation showing that the employee has a covered disability and needs the requested accommodation.

That does not ordinarily give the employer permission to demand unrelated medical information or an employee’s complete medical records. Medical information obtained through this process is also subject to ADA confidentiality requirements.

Explain how your service dog helps you work

Focus on the connection between the accommodation and your ability to perform your job or safely access the workplace.

Depending on the handler’s needs, a service dog might assist by:

• Providing a medical alert before symptoms become dangerous
• Retrieving dropped or needed items
• Providing mobility assistance
• Guiding during disorientation
• Interrupting disability-related psychiatric symptoms
• Providing trained balance or stability assistance

You generally do not need to provide unnecessary medical details. Help the employer understand the workplace barrier and how the requested accommodation could address it.

Be prepared for a conversation

An employer may ask relevant questions to understand the request and evaluate possible accommodations.

The discussion may include:

• The work environment
• The employee’s essential job functions
• Legitimate safety concerns
• Allergies or competing accommodation needs
• Customer interaction
• Workspace layout
• Where the dog will remain during the workday
• Break, relief-area, and emergency procedures

This discussion is commonly called the interactive process. Its purpose is to identify an effective accommodation based on the employee’s needs and the realities of the workplace—not to automatically approve or deny a request.

Generalized fears or assumptions should not replace an individualized assessment of the actual situation.

Follow up in writing

An accommodation request can be made verbally or in writing.

Even when the first conversation is verbal, sending a short follow-up email can be helpful. It creates a clear record of what was requested, when the request was made, and any next steps discussed.

Keep copies of relevant emails, forms, documentation, and responses.

Prepare your dog for the workplace

The workplace may introduce conditions that are different from ordinary public-access environments.

A service dog should be housebroken, remain under the handler’s control, and be able to perform its trained work without creating unnecessary disruption. The handler should also plan for the dog’s care, breaks, relief needs, and safe placement during the workday.

Employers may evaluate actual workplace concerns through the accommodation process. Questions should be based on the individual circumstances—not stereotypes about service dogs or disabilities.

Remember: this is a collaborative process

Most employers want good employees to succeed.

Approaching the conversation professionally, understanding your rights, clearly explaining the workplace barrier, and participating in the accommodation process can help everyone reach a workable outcome.

Knowledge builds confidence.

Confidence opens doors.

And understanding the accommodation process helps both handlers and employers.

Official resources

• EEOC: Enforcement Guidance on Reasonable Accommodation and Undue Hardship
• EEOC: Disability-Related Inquiries and Medical Examinations
• ADA.gov: Americans with Disabilities Act, Title I