Accommodating workers with traumatic brain injury: issues related to TBI and ADA

Cases from the Job Accommodation Network database that involved people with traumatic brain Injury were examined to determine the nature of the industry, job, career progression, consequence, job function, accommoda­ tion, and ADA issues for this population. Most workplace difficulties were the result of cognitive consequences of the TBI and included remembering, organizing, learning, and planning skills. Types of accommodations related to these functional limitations are described. The employers, employees, and service providers had different issues related to implementation and interpretation of the ADA. The biggest. ADA issue for all three groups was effective performance in the workplace. For the employers, safety concerns were also very apparent. The employees were concerned with basic ADA information about their rights and responsibilities. The service providers had fewer ADA-related issues to discuss, overall, but they asked more questions related to the use of a job coach than did the other two groups. The ADA can have a positive impact on the employment situation of people with TBI if employers, service providers, and the employees work together to find solutions.