The term “accommodations” continues to be a highly misused one. There is the general conceptual application, as when an agency attempts to do something to help a Federal or Postal employee by “allowing” for “light duty”, or allowing one to work at a reduced schedule, or to take sick leave, annual leave, or Leave Without Pay. But such actions (as kindhearted as they might be intended) do not constitute a legal accommodation under disability retirement rules, statutes, laws or case-law.
To legally accommodate someone must always mean that the agency does something, provides something, or creates something of a permanent nature, such that it allows you to perform the essential elements of your job. Temporary measures, or allowing you to take time off, does not allow you to perform the essential elements of your job — instead, it merely allows you take time away from being able to do your job. Remember, on the other hand, that there is nothing wrong with your Agency doing these things to “help you out”. It simply does not constitute, or rise to the level of, an “accommodation” under the law.
Sincerely,
Robert R. McGill, Esquire
OPM Disability Retirement, Et Cetera… 