Who is responsible for providing accommodations for student interns?

The employee or intern is responsible for providing personal accommodations, such as hearing aids, wheelchairs, and personal attendants. In most cases, it is the employer's responsibility to provide on-site job accommodations for an employee who has a disability. It is sometimes possible for the employer to receive tax credits and incentives for doing so. The state division of vocational rehabilitation can provide information about these programs.

If the worker is an intern, however, the school and the business should collaborate to provide reasonable accommodations. For example, in some cases, the school may loan the student and the employer the necessary adaptive technology for the length of the internship experience.

For more information about accommodations in a work setting, consult Finding Gold: Hiring the Best and the Brightest.