Neurodiversity and Navigating Accommodations for Mental Health Disabilities: Understanding ADA and FMLA Protections

This presentation will explore how employers and employees can better understand and support mental health and neurodiversity in the workplace while complying with key legal protections. We will discuss what it means to be neurodivergent (including conditions such as ADHD, autism, and learning differences) and how these and other mental health disabilities may impact workplace experiences.

The session will provide a practical overview of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) as they relate to mental health, including:

• When mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions qualify as disabilities
• How to navigate the interactive process and request or evaluate reasonable accommodations
• Examples of effective accommodations for mental health and neurodiversity
• When mental health conditions may qualify for FMLA leave, including intermittent leave for treatment and flare-ups

Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of their rights and responsibilities, and concrete strategies for creating a more inclusive, legally compliant, and psychologically safe workplace.

This program is pending approval by SHRM for 1 hour of HR professional development credit.

This program is pending approval for 1 (General)) recertification credit hour toward aPHR™, aPHRi™, PHR®, PHRca®, SPHR®, GPHR®, PHRi™ and SPHRi™ recertification through the HR Certification Institute.