Workplace Accommodations for People With Arthritis

About this tool

Not everyone with arthritis will require workplace accommodations, but for those who do, having support can significantly improve employment outcomes and reduce job disruptions. With the right supports in place, people with arthritis—one of the conditions included under the umbrella term "episodic disability"—can continue to make meaningful contributions at work and lead productive, fulfilling lives. This handout, developed by the Arthritis Society with input from ACED project director Dr. Monique Gignac, explores where to start in offering support to workers with arthritis.

What’s included in this tool

This tool briefly describes a three-step accommodation process and shares ideas about potential accommodations in five areas: scheduling, job duties, physical work environment, assistive devices, and policies and procedures.

The information in this tool is available online and as a one-page, double-sided pdf that can be printed out for easy reading and distribution. 

Who should use this tool

This tool provides a high-level overview of the process for accommodating people with arthritis and offers a good starting point for supervisors, human resources and disability managers, worker representatives and others in the workplace who are supporting workers with arthritis.