EEOC: Diploma Not A Must For Job Seekers With Disabilities

A high school diploma is often listed as a minimum job requirement, but for applicants with disabilities, employers may need to waive such criteria, a government agency says.

While it’s perfectly legal for employers to require a diploma, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is putting businesses on notice that they must look further to evaluate the skills of individuals who are unable to complete the requirements of high school diploma due to their disability.

In a question and answer document from the agency, officials at the EEOC said that employers may be required to offer applicants with disabilities an alternate way to prove their readiness for a job.

“This may include considering work experience in the same or similar jobs, or allowing (an applicant) to demonstrate performance of the job’s essential functions,” the agency said.

The EEOC offers guidance to employers on how to comply with the law. Recommendations about the handling of high school diploma requirements for applicants with disabilities are rooted in the Americans with Disabilities Act, the agency said.