DOI: 10.1177/10519815241289823 ISSN: 1051-9815

Accommodation requests among older workers: The role of disability acceptance and other psychosocial factors

Shengli Dong, Kaiqi Zhou, Jinlin Wu

Background

With an aging workforce becoming increasingly prevalent in the United States, the intersection of older age and disability presents significant challenges for employment, particularly in the context of workplace accommodations.

Objective

This study aimed to elucidate the psychosocial factors influencing older workers’ requests and receipts of job accommodations, focusing on the pivotal role of disability acceptance.

Methods

Employing a quantitative approach, we included 217 older workers (50 years and older) across various employment sectors, analyzing their experiences with accommodation requests, workplace support, knowledge of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and levels of disability acceptance.

Results

Logistic regression models revealed that perceived workplace support significantly predicted the likelihood of requesting and receiving accommodations, whereas disability acceptance, despite its hypothesized importance, did not emerge as a significant predictor in our models. Results highlight the critical role of workplace support in facilitating accommodation processes for older workers and suggest that interventions to increase ADA awareness and foster supportive work environments may enhance accommodation outcomes.

Conclusion

This study contributes to a nuanced understanding of the dynamics surrounding accommodation requests among the aging workforce, emphasizing the need for inclusive workplace practices and policies.

More from our Archive