What constitutes "undue hardship" in the context of ADA compliance?

In the context of ADA compliance, "undue hardship" refers to the significant difficulty or expense that an organization may face when implementing necessary accommodations for individuals with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires businesses to make reasonable accommodations, but it acknowledges that certain accommodations may not be feasible due to the financial strain they could impose or the operational challenges they could create.

The determination of what constitutes "undue hardship" is based on factors such as the size and resources of the business, the nature of the accommodation, and the impact on the operation of the business. If an accommodation would be excessively costly or fundamentally alter the nature of the business, it could be deemed an undue hardship. This allows businesses some leeway to balance the needs of individuals with disabilities against their operational realities.

In contrast, minor adjustments that can be easily made would not qualify as undue hardship because they are, by definition, manageable and reasonable to implement. Client dissatisfaction with accommodations does not factor into the legal definition of undue hardship, as it pertains more to the impact on the person requesting the accommodation rather than operational feasibility. Legal challenges, while they can pose significant issues for businesses, do not pertain to the concept of undue hardship as defined by the ADA.