Which of the following is considered an unreasonable accommodation?

• A. Those that cause the employer undue hardship to the company
• B. Removing essential job functions from the position
• C. Displacing a fellow employee
• D. Providing flexible break times

Answer: (A)

The idea being tested is that accommodations under the ADA must be reasonable and not place an undue burden on the employer. An accommodation becomes unreasonable when it would cause undue hardship—meaning it would impose significant difficulty or expense given the employer’s size, resources, and operations. Among the scenarios, providing flexible break times is usually a reasonable adjustment because it helps the employee meet needs without changing the job’s essential duties or creating major costs. Removing essential job functions from the position changes what the job is supposed to do, which isn’t considered a valid accommodation since it undercuts the core responsibilities of the role. Displacing a fellow employee isn’t an accommodation at all; it would disrupt others’ work and raise fairness and safety concerns. Therefore, the option describing an accommodation that would cause undue hardship is the unreasonable one.