Case: Hiring a Coder

The director of the health information management department has the opportunity to hire a new coder who, based on an exam the coder has taken, has excellent coding skills. However, the director learns that the prospective employee is deaf. The coder communicates using sign language and at times has an interpreter with her. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 provides that disabled employees must be able to perform the necessary functions of a job with “reasonable accommodations.” Based on what you know of the law, would you hire the coder? If the coder asked that an interpreter be available, do you think that is a reasonable accommodation and if not, why not?