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Letter U
employment

Undue Hardship

A defense to the reasonable accommodation requirement under the ADA, where an employer demonstrates that the accommodation would impose significant difficulty or expense.

Encyclopedia entry: Undue Hardship

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undue hardship

Undue hardship refers to a significant difficulty or expense imposed on an individual or organization, often in the context of providing accommodations or complying with legal requirements. In employment and disability law , it describes the threshold beyond which an employer is required to accommodate an employee ’s disability or other needs because doing so would be excessively burdensome. 

[Last reviewed in July of 2024 by the Wex Definitions Team

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Encyclopedia content from Cornell LII Wex (CC-BY-NC-SA 2.5).

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This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.