If you’re having trouble dealing with your depression and it’s affecting your work, it may be time to ask your employer for accommodations under the ADA. While disclosing your condition can be a scary step to take, chances are that it’s better than being fired for poor job performance.
The Americans with Disabilities Act does cover disability due to mental illness. However, this only applies if treatment is not successful. Several Supreme Court rulings essentially said that if you are not limited in “major life activity” when you are under treatment, the disability for all intents and purposes doesn’t exist, and you are not entitled to accommodation. Major life activities are “learning, thinking, concentrating, interacting with others, caring for oneself, speaking, performing manual tasks, or working.”


