Questions and Answers: Enforcement Guidance on Disability-Related Inquiries and Medical Examinations of Employees Under the ADA

Are the rules about when an employer may make disability-related inquiries and require medical examinations the same for employees and applicants? (Introduction) (For more information about this and other issues discussed in these Questions and Answers, please consult the referenced question numbers from the Guidance.)

• No. The ADA limits an employer's ability to make disability-related inquiries or require medical examinations at three stages: pre-offer, post-offer, and during employment. The rules concerning disability-related inquiries and medical examinations are different at each stage.
  • At the first stage (prior to an offer of employment), an employer may not ask any disability-related questions or require any medical examinations, even if they are related to the job.
  • At the second stage (after an applicant is given a conditional job offer, but before he or she starts work), an employer may ask disability-related questions and conduct medical examinations, regardless of whether they are related to the job, as long as it does so for all entering employees in the same job category.
  • At the third stage (after employment begins), an employer may make disability-related inquiries and require medical examinations only if they are job-related and consistent with business necessity.