Work Rights, Education & Resource Collective Your rights and accommodations at work
Explainer

The Interactive Process, Step by Step

After you ask for a change at work, the law expects a good-faith back-and-forth to find one that works. Here is how that conversation usually goes, and how to keep it on track.

By Editorial Team Published February 2, 2026 Last reviewed July 12, 2026 Next review January 2027

Key takeaways

  • The process is a conversation, not a single yes-or-no decision.
  • Both sides are expected to take part in good faith.
  • Keeping a simple written record helps everyone.

What the process is

The interactive process is the informal, good-faith conversation between you and your employer to work out an accommodation. The EEOC describes it as an informal process to clarify what you need and to identify a reasonable accommodation that works. It is not one yes-or-no decision. It is a back-and-forth, and both sides are expected to take part.

You do not need a lawyer to start it, and you do not need to arrive with the perfect solution. Often the best first step is simply naming the barrier and asking to talk about a change.

Step 1: The request

You can start the process with a simple, everyday request. You do not have to use the words "reasonable accommodation" or mention the ADA. Under EEOC guidance, it is enough to let your employer know that you need an adjustment or change at work for a reason related to a medical condition. You can ask out loud or in writing, and you can ask at any time.

Step 2: Talk it through

Next, the two of you share the information needed to find a workable change. You describe the barrier and how it affects your work. If your condition or need is not obvious, your employer can ask for reasonable documentation that confirms the condition and explains why the change is needed, but not your full medical history. The EEOC expects both sides to explore options together, and you do not have to name the exact accommodation up front.

Step 3: Try and adjust

Many accommodations are worth trying and then adjusting. If the first idea does not work, the conversation continues rather than ending. Your employer can choose among options that would be equally effective, so it does not have to be the exact one you asked for. What it should not do is drag its feet: the EEOC treats an unnecessary delay in responding as a possible violation of the law.

Common mistakes

  • Treating a first no as final.
  • Sharing far more medical detail than needed.
  • Letting the conversation go silent without a follow-up.

Sources

Official guidance behind this page, from the EEOC and the U.S. Department of Justice.

  1. Enforcement Guidance on Reasonable Accommodation and Undue Hardship Under the ADA (opens in a new tab) U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
  2. The Americans with Disabilities Act (opens in a new tab) U.S. Department of Justice, ADA.gov
  3. Accommodation and Compliance: the A to Z of disabilities and accommodations (opens in a new tab) Job Accommodation Network (JAN), funded by the U.S. Department of Labor