Full Breakdown
Labor Department Grapples with Growing Backlog of Disability Accommodation Requests
By Drooid · · How we work
Backlog of Accommodation Requests
Labor Department employees have reported a backlog of hundreds of reasonable accommodation (RA) requests, with many workers waiting months or longer for decisions. Employees have also cited prolonged delays in receiving ergonomic equipment, assistive technology, and software needed for their duties.
Context: Return-to-Office Mandate and Staffing Shortages
The surge in RA filings followed the former president’s return-to-office directive, which required most federal staff to work onsite. At the same time, the department’s human-resources workforce has been reduced by voluntary separation incentives, leaving it unable to keep pace with the increased demand. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) estimated that about 10 % of federal employees have secured exemptions from the mandate.
Official Statements & Responses
A bipartisan group of 40 House members, led by Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA) and Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ), sent a letter to Acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling requesting current processing times, the number of pending cases, and details on oversight mechanisms.
OPM Director Scott Kupor emphasized that “Returning to in-person work and upholding disability rights are not mutually exclusive.” In a February press release, Kupor reiterated EEOC and OPM guidance against blanket rescission of telework accommodations.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Returning to in-person work and upholding disability rights are not mutually exclusive,” — Scott Kupor, OPM director
What’s Next
Lawmakers have asked for a response from the Labor Department by the mid-October deadline. In parallel, an internal memo disclosed that thousands of employees’ sensitive personal and medical information had been mistakenly sent to a personal email account, prompting further scrutiny of the agency’s internal controls.