The enabling and constraining effects of workplace accommodations on the careers of people with disabilities

This study uncovers a paradox in the use of workplace accommodations by exploring their unintended consequences on the career advancement decisions of people with disabilities. Drawing on 30 interviews with German employees across a range of disabilities, we examine how accommodations – typically intended to foster person-job fit and inclusion – can simultaneously constrain career advancement. Our findings reveal that when accommodations lead to a strong sense of fit but are perceived as non-transferable, they may foster dependency, reduce external mobility, and limit career advancement aspirations. By problematizing the dominant narrative of accommodations as purely empowering, we offer a critical reframing: accommodations can facilitate inclusion in the short term while quietly narrowing long-term career advancement. We call on practitioners to recognize and mitigate this tension by reassessing accommodations over time, encouraging open dialogue about career goals, and ensuring that support systems extend beyond initial placement to enable both stability and progression.