Workshop on Reasonable Accommodation beyond Disability

The following issues were discussed:

How could reasonable accommodation apply to disabled persons in other areas beyond employment (e.g. education and access to and supply of goods and services)?
Looking at the European trends, could the notion of reasonable accommodation as developed for disability be applied to the other grounds of discrimination?
What can we learn, or draw inspiration from, as regards US and Canadian experiences?

The workshop addressed the concept of reasonable accommodation beyond employment and beyond disability with the potential for applying to other grounds as well. Experiences and practices from Canada were shared, particularly because reasonable accommodation originated in the context of religious belief. Undeniably more information is needed about the potential practical impact of extending the concept of reasonable accommodation outside the employment sphere in relation to disability. Concerns around the potential costs of adjustment beyond the work place were raised. The workshop stressed that reasonable accommodation in the context of disability was still in its early days, thus the prospect to extend to other grounds was approached with some caution. The interaction between indirect discrimination and reasonable accommodation also needs to be closely looked at before endorsing such approach. Indirect discrimination may remove structural problems, whilst reasonable accommodation takes a more individualised approach.

Discussion paper (PDF 58 kB)
Handout presentations (PDF 206 kB)
Audio recording summary workshop proceedings (mp3 2 min.)

Powerpoint presentation Ms. Beatrice Vizkelety (PDF 194 kB)
Powerpoint presentation Ms. Julie Ringelheim (PDF 2.146 kB)