How does Tilt support ADA leave requests?

Quick answer
Tilt helps identify potential ADA leave situations, sends and collects the Leave Accommodation Request form, tracks approved leave time, and stores medical paperwork centrally. Tilt cannot engage in the interactive process or make accommodation decisions — that responsibility stays with the employer's HR team, who should consult legal counsel throughout the process. ADA leave typically comes into play when an employee needs leave for their own non-pregnancy-related medical condition and is ineligible for or has exhausted job-protected leave like FMLA, state leave, or company leave.

Who this applies to / Prerequisites

• Employers with 15 or more employees (generally covered under the ADA)
• Employees who are "qualified individuals with disabilities" — meaning they can perform essential job functions with or without an accommodation, and have a physical or mental impairment substantially limiting a major life activity or bodily function
• Applies when an employee needs leave for their own medical condition (not pregnancy-related — those are handled under Tilt's PWFA process) and is either ineligible for or has exhausted FMLA, state leave, or company leave

How Tilt supports the ADA leave process

1. Identification: Tilt spots potential ADA leave scenarios and alerts HR teams, managers, and employees when an employee needs leave for their own medical condition but is ineligible for, or has exhausted, job-protected FMLA, state leave, or company leave.
2. Communication: Tilt sends the Leave Accommodation Request form to the employee and/or their healthcare provider, with a 15 calendar day due date, and collects the completed form.
3. Review: HR reviews the paperwork for sufficiency, determining whether the employee meets the ADA definition of disabled and whether more information is needed (only job-related questions consistent with business necessity are permitted).
4. Interactive process: HR engages in an ongoing conversation with the employee about potential accommodations and whether they're reasonable — Tilt cannot participate in this step.
5. Decision: HR makes the accommodation decision (Tilt cannot make this decision) and communicates it to both the employee and Tilt, including any approval, denial, or requests for additional information.
6. Tracking: If approved, Tilt tracks the leave time in the platform. If denied, Tilt removes that time from the platform.
7. Storage: Medical paperwork is stored centrally in Tilt alongside other leave paperwork.

What if it doesn't work

• Employer wants to deny an ADA leave request: This is only permissible if the accommodation would cause undue hardship (based on an individualized assessment showing significant difficulty or expense) or if the employee poses a direct threat (a significant risk of substantial harm that can't be reduced by reasonable accommodation).
• Unsure whether an employee qualifies as disabled under the ADA: HR must determine this based on whether the employee has a physical or mental impairment substantially limiting a major life activity or bodily function, evaluated while the condition is active and without mitigating measures like medication.
• Need more medical information from the employee: Tilt sends the medical documentation for the employee's healthcare provider to complete if the disability isn't obvious. HR can only ask about disabilities when job-related and consistent with business necessity.
• Employee requests indefinite leave: Employers are not required to grant indefinite leave, though there's no set entitlement amount for ADA leave — it depends on what's reasonable given the circumstances (continuous, reduced schedule, or intermittent leave should all be considered).
• HR has questions about the ADA leave process: Contact your Customer Success Manager.
• Employee has questions about the ADA leave process: Contact your Leave Success Manager.
• If none of these apply, contact your Customer Success Manager (HR) or Leave Success Manager (employees).

Limits and exceptions

• Tilt does not currently support workplace or non-leave accommodations — only leave as an accommodation.
• Tilt cannot engage in the interactive process or make accommodation decisions on behalf of the employer. This responsibility belongs to HR, and Tilt recommends consulting legal counsel throughout.
• Pregnancy-related medical conditions are not handled under this ADA process — they're handled under Tilt's PWFA leave process.
• There is no set amount of ADA leave entitlement; it is based on reasonableness given the circumstances. However, employers are not required to grant indefinite leave.
• Tilt reviews all other job-protected leave laws (like FMLA, CFRA, or paid state leaves such as MA PFML) before starting the ADA leave process.
• ADA leave is unpaid, but it may run concurrently with other paid leave types, such as STD/LTD, certain state programs (e.g., CA SDI), or PTO.
• The ADA generally covers private employers with 15 or more employees.

Related questions

• What is considered a reasonable accommodation under the ADA?
• Can my employer deny my request for ADA leave?
• What is the ADA interactive process?
• How long can I take leave under the ADA?
• Does Tilt make the decision on my ADA accommodation request?
• Is ADA leave paid or unpaid?
• What's the difference between ADA leave and FMLA leave?