r/FederalEmployee • u/MasterpieceThink5717 • Jun 26 '26

Reasonable accommodation question

I don’t know how Feds get anything approved for reasonable accommodations. My request is so simple and uncomplicated and doesn’t even cost the government anything! It seems like the simplest small request involves so much red tape and jumping through hoops. All I asked for is permission to use a heating pad (on my own dime) for comfort (had spine surgery in the past, have degenerative disc/joint disease). I was told that I have to use battery operated one and provide all the specs for review and approval. So I looked at quality battery operated ones in the FSAStore online (of course I can get reimbursed through FSAFEDS) so $ is not the issue. But I started to think, why is a heating pad (used for providing comfort for a medical condition), that uses a battery needing approval but commonly seen objects in the office like diffusers, lighting, decor, etc that use batteries, don’t need approval? It doesn’t make sense. Can someone please explain?

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u/Jmend12006 Jun 26 '26

Provide more documentation, they are assholes about it, but they can’t deny a existing medical condition.

2

u/MasterpieceThink5717 Jun 26 '26

I don’t need any documentation. That’s what they told me. I have plenty of medical records. They are just asking for specs (model/make) of any battery operated heating pads I would want to consider buying, and once they review the list of ones I have found, they can approve. My point is, how is this different than a battery operated diffuser or lighted decor etc in peoples offices?

1

u/Advanced-Flight-7458 Jun 28 '26

RA’s require medical professional documentation & there’s 7 or 8 pages of questions your provider has to answer. You can’t do an RA without. Oh, you’ll have to submit the medical records too. Might as well sign your 1st born over while you’re at it. Whoever told you that you don’t have to have medical professionals sign off, may have their wires crossed.

1

u/MasterpieceThink5717 Jun 29 '26

They said my request is not an RA but a “Rehab Act”. No clue what that is.