Dyslexia qualifies as a protected disability under the ADA when it substantially limits reading and learning.
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The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which applies to employers with 15 or more employees, defines disability as a “physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.” (42 U.S.C. §12102 (2026).) This can include dyslexia, a neurological disorder that interferes with language processing abilities. People with dyslexia may struggle with reading and writing, which can make some work tasks more difficult to complete.
The ADA protects disabled workers (and job seekers) from employment discrimination. It also requires covered employers to provide reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities in order to help them perform the essential functions of their job. If you have dyslexia, it’s important to know what your rights are under the ADA and how to enforce them at work.
What Qualifies as a Disability Under the ADA?
Under the ADA, disabilities are impairments that “substantially limit” one or more “major life activities.” Major life activities include many physical, sensory, and cognitive processes (such as seeing, hearing, speaking, reading, learning, thinking, and concentrating). Whether or not a limitation is “substantial” is not narrowly defined, and the ADA encourages broad interpretations of the standard.
According to these definitions, people who have very mild dyslexia with few noticeable effects probably won’t be considered disabled under the ADA. People who struggle with reading because they have a limited education or don’t understand the language also won’t be considered disabled under the ADA (since the limitation must arise from a medical impairment). But if your dyslexia is severe enough to the point where you need help reading, writing, or understanding information, you’ll likely qualify for ADA protections.
Can I Get Reasonable Accommodations at Work for Dyslexia?
The ADA requires employers to make reasonable accommodations for qualified employees with disabilities as long as the accommodations wouldn't create an "undue hardship" for the business. You’re a qualified employee under the ADA if you can perform the essential functions of the job, with or without accommodation (42 U.S.C. § 12111(8) (2026).) Examples of reasonable accommodations for people with dyslexia might include the following:
- repetition of instructions
- text-to-voice software
- writing things in a large or “dyslexia-friendly” typeface
- visual prompts or cues
- reallocation of job duties, and
- allowing extended time to finish tasks
Employers don’t have to provide every requested accommodation, but they are required to engage in an interactive process when determining which accommodations to implement. (29 C.F.R. § 1630 (o)(3)(2026).) They also don’t need to make an accommodation that would create an undue hardship (unreasonable burden or expense) for the employer, given the cost of the accommodation and the size of the business. (42 U.S.C. §12111(10) (2026).)
Providing a full-time assistant to read aloud and write for an employee with dyslexia might constitute an undue hardship for a small art museum where quiet ambience is expected, for example. But practically speaking, employers have a very high bar to clear in order to establish that an accommodation would be an undue hardship, and it’s unlikely that your request for accommodation would be considered unreasonable.
How to Request a Reasonable Accommodation for Dyslexia
There’s no formal method or paperwork you’ll need to request a reasonable accommodation from your employer. Legally, you don’t even need to put your request in writing, although it’s a very good idea to do so that you have a record in case your request is unlawfully denied. You can send an email to your supervisor or HR department stating that you need accommodation in order to perform a job task, identify that task, and propose a solution. If you think installing a font on your work computer that’s specially designed to be readable by people with dyslexia would help but you need permission from the IT branch to install it, for example, let your boss know.
What to Do If You Face Workplace Discrimination
In addition to requiring reasonable accommodations for employees, the ADA also protects disabled employees from discrimination at work. If you’ve been fired, denied a job, or otherwise mistreated at work, that’s unlawful discrimination under the ADA.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) is the federal agency responsible for enforcing the antidiscrimination provisions of the ADA. If you faced discrimination in the hiring process or at work, you can file a charge with the EEOC. (Make sure to do so quickly, since there is an 180-day time limit on how long you have to file a discrimination charge.) You may also consider working with a disability discrimination attorney or consulting one if you aren’t sure what your remedies are.
