J. Madison PLC
Practice AreasADA Accommodation
Disability Accommodation Lawyers
Reasonable accommodation is a process, not a favor. When employers ignore requests, impose blanket “everyone in office” policies, or bounce you between a prime and a staffing firm, the ADA interactive process — and sometimes VHRA — supplies the remedy. We litigate accommodation denials and the firings that follow.
J. Madison PLC is licensed in Virginia. We handle Virginia employment matters and federal employment claims (including EEOC, MSPB, FCA, and Defense Contractor Whistleblower Protection Act matters) nationwide where permitted. Pure other-state law claims may require local counsel, which you may be able to find through our affiliate network.
Northern Virginia schools, contractors, and telework fights
Our NoVA docket includes public-school and county staff blocked by blanket telework bans, contractor employees trapped in prime/sub blame-shifting, and tech workers whose hybrid policies evaporate after a medical request. We force individualized assessments, use deposition admissions when supervisors contradict HR, and pursue policy-level reforms in settlement when the facts support it — not only a confidential check. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
The interactive process is the battleground
Once the employer knows of a disability and a need for adjustment, both sides must engage in good faith. Endless delay, refusal to discuss options, or “policy says no” without individualized review is how accommodation cases are won or lost.
- Triggering notice: You do not need magic words — clear notice of impairment and workplace barriers starts the duty.
- Reasonable vs. undue hardship: Employers must consider effective adjustments; hardship is their burden, not a slogan.
- Retaliation after asking: Discipline or termination after an accommodation request often supports a paired retaliation theory.
Telework and blanket return-to-office rules
Post-pandemic RTO mandates collide with disability accommodations. A flat “no remote work” policy does not end the ADA analysis. We evaluate whether telework or hybrid arrangements are reasonable for your essential functions under the ADA.
Joint employers and contractor workplaces
Who must accommodate you when a staffing firm, prime contractor, and agency all touch your assignment? We treat joint-employer and contractor-control issues as a core part of our practice — especially in Northern Virginia’s contracting corridor.
SSDI paperwork and damages
Benefit applications must be reconciled carefully with an accommodation theory that you can work with adjustments. On remedies, ADA caps and VHRA options both matter in Virginia matters — we underwrite damages honestly, without promising outcomes.
Cloud Counsel
Upload accommodation requests, medical notes, and employer responses into Cloud Counsel to preserve the interactive-process record.
Learn how Cloud Counsel worksFrequently Asked Questions
What if my employer says telework is never allowed?
Blanket policies do not automatically defeat an ADA request. The question is individualized: can you perform essential functions with telework or another adjustment?
Who is responsible if I am a contractor?
It depends on control. Joint-employer and dual-control theories may reach more than one entity. We evaluate the full structure.
Do I have to accept the first accommodation offered?
The interactive process seeks an effective accommodation. Employers need not provide your preferred option in every case — but they cannot refuse to engage.
How does FMLA relate?
Leave can be an accommodation or a parallel FMLA right. FMLA interference and retaliation are separate claims when leave is part of the story.
Can accommodation cases be contingent fee?
Often when facts and damages support underwriting. Acceptance is not guaranteed.