Do I need a diagnosis to get accommodations at work?
6 minute read · updated October 28, 2026
18 sources: 15 government or law, 3 charity or professional body
Usually not to ask. In the United States you can request an accommodation in plain English, but if the disability or the need is not obvious, the employer may ask for reasonable documentation.[1] In the UK, Acas says employers should offer support whether or not a worker has a diagnosis, and Access to Work does not require one to apply.[2][3]
Two separate questions hide inside this one: whether you need a diagnosis to ask for a change, and whether your employer can ask you for evidence afterward. The answers differ by country. This is general information, not legal advice.
At a glance
| Where | Diagnosis needed to ask? | Can the employer ask for evidence? |
|---|---|---|
| United States (ADA) | No. A plain-English request is enough[1] | Yes, reasonable documentation when the disability or need is not obvious[1] |
| England, Scotland, Wales (Equality Act 2010) | No[2][4] | The employer may seek medical advice on what adjustments are needed[5] |
| Access to Work (Great Britain) | No diagnosis needed to apply[3] | You contact the scheme, which arranges its own workplace assessment[6] |
| Canada (federal and Ontario guidance) | Federal guidance: no need to disclose a specific diagnosis[7] | Ontario guidance: the nature of the disability may be asked about, rather than a diagnosis[8] |
United States
EEOC guidance says a request can be made in plain English, without mentioning the ADA or using the phrase "reasonable accommodation," and does not need to be in writing.[1] When the disability or the need for accommodation is not obvious, the employer may ask for reasonable documentation about the disability and functional limitations, but in most situations cannot ask for your complete medical records.[1]
The EEOC gives a learning disability example: a marketing employee tells his supervisor about his disability and asks for a laptop to use in meetings, and because neither the disability nor the need is obvious, the supervisor may ask for reasonable documentation.[1] The ADA's employment rules apply to employers with 15 or more employees.[9]
The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) notes that learning disabilities are usually diagnosed by a psychologist rather than a medical doctor, and that older documentation is sometimes enough, particularly if testing was done at age 18 or later.[10] Whatever you share must be kept as a confidential medical record and shared only in limited circumstances.[11]
United Kingdom
Acas, the UK's workplace advice service, says employers should offer support whether or not a worker has a diagnosis for their neurodivergence, and that a worker is not legally required to provide proof such as a diagnosis letter.[2] The statutory employment code from the Equality and Human Rights Commission takes the same line: the effect of an impairment counts, not whether a doctor has named its cause.[4]
The duty can apply even if you have not said anything: Acas says an employer has the same responsibility if it could reasonably be expected to know someone is disabled.[12] The BDA's employer guide adds that a diagnostic report may help but should not be a requirement for a workplace needs assessment or for reasonable adjustments, and that there is no duty on an employer to pay for a diagnostic assessment, although doing so can be good practice.[6]
Ireland and Australia
In Ireland, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission explains that employers must provide reasonable accommodation unless it would be a disproportionate burden, and that complaints go to the Workplace Relations Commission within strict time limits.[15] In Australia, JobAccess, run for the Department of Social Services, offers free and confidential advice on 1800 464 800.[16]
When a report still helps
A report can make a conversation easier because it describes your profile and recommends support.[17] It is also your document. When the BDA carries out an assessment paid for by an employer, it shares only a summary, without test scores, and only with the person's permission.[17] If you are weighing up an assessment, see can adults be diagnosed with dyslexia.
Quick answers
Can my employer ask to see my dyslexia assessment report?
In the US, an employer may ask for reasonable documentation when the need is not obvious, but usually not your complete medical records.[1] In the UK, Acas says a worker is not legally required to provide proof such as a diagnosis letter.[2]
Will my employer pay for a dyslexia assessment?
They do not have to in the UK, though the BDA calls it good practice where there is evidence of dyslexia in the person's work.[6]
Can I get Access to Work without a diagnosis?
GOV.UK says you do not need to be diagnosed with a condition to apply.[3]
Is a report from school still valid?
Sometimes. JAN says older documentation can be sufficient, particularly if testing was done at 18 or older.[10]
Review status
Source-checked, not expert-reviewed
Drafted with AI assistance. Each factual claim was checked against the source it links to on 2026-10-28. No clinician, psychologist or dyslexia specialist has reviewed this page. See the claims register.
Sources
- [1]Enforcement guidance on reasonable accommodation and undue hardship under the ADA. U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Accessed 2026-10-28. Government or law
- [2]Reasonable adjustments for neurodiversity. Acas, 2025. Accessed 2026-10-28. Government or law
- [3]Access to Work: eligibility. GOV.UK. Accessed 2026-10-28. Government or law
- [4]Equality Act 2010 statutory code of practice: employment. Equality and Human Rights Commission, 2011. Accessed 2026-10-28. Government or law
- [5]Making and handling requests for reasonable adjustments. Acas, 2025. Accessed 2026-10-28. Government or law
- [6]Dyslexia friendly workplaces: a guide for employers. British Dyslexia Association, 2023. Accessed 2026-10-28. Charity or professional body
- [7]Workplace accommodation: a guide for federally regulated employers. Canadian Human Rights Commission. Accessed 2026-10-28. Government or law
- [8]Policy on ableism and discrimination based on disability, section 8: Duty to accommodate. Ontario Human Rights Commission. Accessed 2026-10-28. Charity or professional body
- [9]Introduction to the Americans with Disabilities Act. US Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division (ADA.gov). Accessed 2026-10-28. Government or law
- [10]Documentation of a learning disability (Consultants' Corner, volume 5, issue 3). Job Accommodation Network (JAN). Accessed 2026-10-28. Government or law
- [11]Enforcement guidance on disability-related inquiries and medical examinations of employees under the ADA. US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, 2000. Accessed 2026-10-28. Government or law
- [12]Talking about disability (Supporting disabled people at work). Acas, 2024. Accessed 2026-10-28. Government or law
- [13]Access to Work: get support if you have a disability or health condition. GOV.UK. Accessed 2026-10-28. Government or law
- [14]Access to Work (NI): practical help at work. nidirect (Northern Ireland Government). Accessed 2026-10-28. Government or law
- [15]Disability and work. Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC). Accessed 2026-10-28. Government or law
- [16]JobAccess home page (Internet Archive snapshot of 2026-10-16). JobAccess, Australian Government Department of Social Services. Accessed 2026-10-28. Government or law
- [17]Assessments: before, during and after. British Dyslexia Association. Accessed 2026-10-28. Charity or professional body
- [18]Duty to accommodate. Canadian Human Rights Commission. Accessed 2026-10-28. Government or law
Related reading
- What to say when telling an employer about dyslexiaTelling an employer is voluntary. What to include in a request, sample wording with and without naming dyslexia, and what an employer may ask next.
- Is dyslexia a disability?Often yes, in law. How the ADA, the UK Equality Act 2010 and laws in Ireland, Canada and Australia treat dyslexia, and why coverage depends on your facts.
- Reading at work: practical approaches and asking for adjustmentsPractical ways to handle long documents, email, meetings and instructions, and how adjustment laws work in the US, UK, Ireland, Canada and Australia.