The ADA framework

Title I of the ADA covers employers with 15 or more workers. A "qualified individual" with a disability can request "reasonable accommodations" — including assistive software, ergonomic equipment, schedule flexibility, and remote or hybrid work. The employer cannot ask for your diagnosis, only for functional limitations described by your doctor.

Typical accommodations

  • Screen readers — JAWS, NVDA on Windows; VoiceOver on Mac; ChromeVox on Chrome OS.
  • AI vision apps — Lumyeye Pro on a work iPhone for documents, screenshots, badges, lobby signage.
  • Refreshable braille displays — for code reviews, math, music.
  • Color-adjusted monitor — high contrast and large fonts for low-vision users.
  • Remote or hybrid schedule — to avoid commute risks or accessibility issues at the office.
  • Sighted assistance — periodic check-ins, badge access, lobby description.

How to request accommodations

  1. Get a doctor's note describing functional limitations (not the diagnosis).
  2. Submit a written request to HR — "request for reasonable accommodation under ADA Title I".
  3. Engage in the "interactive process" — a documented conversation about specific tools and outcomes.
  4. Document every meeting and email. If denied, escalate to the EEOC within 180 days.

Remote-work tips

  • Set up a dedicated voice-friendly desk: phone holder for Lumyeye Pro, AirPods, large keyboard, second monitor for low-vision users.
  • Pre-script repeated tasks with Shortcuts (iOS) or Tasker (Android).
  • Use Zoom and Teams transcription for real-time captioning and searchable transcripts.
  • Block 15 minutes between meetings to let your screen reader catch up with documents shared in the meeting chat.
  • Standardize file naming — your screen reader will thank you.

When Lumyeye Pro shines at work

A screen reader handles digital text. Lumyeye Pro handles everything the screen reader cannot: a colleague's printed badge, a delivery note on the reception desk, a whiteboard photo, a screenshot of a chart pasted into Slack. Tap or double-tap on the iPhone — Lumyeye reads, describes, identifies. Lumyeye Pro offers 40 free queries, no account, voice-first onboarding, and VoiceOver fluent.

If your employer pushes back

Common objections — "too expensive", "doesn't fit our IT stack", "we don't allow personal devices". Counter with: cost data (JAWS is $1,475 once; NVDA is free; Lumyeye Classic is free; Lumyeye Pro is $9.99/month), JAN (Job Accommodation Network) cost-benefit analyses, and the EEOC's record of fining employers for refusing reasonable accommodations.

Resources