Employees in North Carolina—especially in employment hubs like Charlotte, Raleigh and Wilmington—are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified workers with disabilities. But a recent decision from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit underscores an often-overlooked point: employees must do their part in the ADA interactive process, including providing sufficient medical documentation.
What Happened in Tarquinio v. Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab
In Tarquinio, a systems engineer sought a medical exemption from her employer’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate due to a condition called “Lyme-induced immune dysregulation.” While she described her symptoms and submitted a years-old lab result, she refused repeated requests to allow the employer to speak with her medical providers or provide updated documentation.
The Fourth Circuit upheld the employer’s decision to deny the accommodation, ruling that the employee’s failure to provide adequate information meant the employer was never legally required to accommodate her. The Court emphasized:
- The ADA requires accommodations for known limitations, not just known disabilities.
- Employers have the right to verify that a requested accommodation is medically necessary.
- Refusing to participate in this process—such as by withholding updated documentation—can defeat your claim.
What the EEOC Requires Employees to Provide
According to EEOC guidance, when you request an accommodation, your employer may ask for documentation that:
- Confirms the existence of an ADA-qualifying disability,
- Describes the limitation the disability causes, and
- Explains why the requested accommodation is medically needed.
Your employer can’t demand irrelevant records or broad access to your history—but they can, and often must, verify the basis for your request. Refusing to cooperate can lawfully result in denial.
Know Your Rights—and Your Responsibilities
If you're working in Charlotte, Raleigh, Wilmington, or elsewhere in North Carolina and need a workplace accommodation:
- Be specific about how your medical condition limits your ability to perform essential job functions or comply with workplace policies.
- Provide recent documentation from a licensed medical professional.
- Remain responsive and open to your employer’s good-faith efforts to find a reasonable solution.
Without enough information, your employer may have no legal duty to provide the accommodation you request.
Need Legal Help in Charlotte, Raleigh or Wilmington?
At Gibbons Law Group, PLLC, we represent employees only—never employers. Whether you're in Charlotte, Raleigh, Wilmington, or anywhere in North Carolina, we can help if your employer has denied your accommodation request, retaliated against you, or failed to follow the law.
Call us today at 704-612-0038 to schedule a consultation and protect your rights under the ADA.