An employee asks for noise-cancelling headphones, written instructions or a later start. They have no diagnosis, or they have not shared one. Can you, and should you, make the adjustment?
In most cases, yes. Australian law does not make a formal diagnosis the entry ticket to workplace adjustments, and many useful adjustments cost little and help the whole team. This guide covers what the law says, when it is reasonable to ask for evidence, and a simple process managers can follow. It is general information, not legal advice.
Do employees need a diagnosis to get reasonable adjustments?
Not necessarily. The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) defines disability broadly. It covers a disability that a person has now, had in the past, may have in the future, or is believed to have. That last part matters: the protection does not depend on a medical label being on file.
Employers must make reasonable adjustments for a person with a disability unless doing so would cause unjustifiable hardship. Refusing a sensible, low-cost adjustment because there is no diagnosis on paper can expose an employer to a discrimination complaint.
There is also a practical reality. Adult assessments for autism and ADHD can be expensive and slow, and many neurodivergent adults are identified late or not at all. If your adjustment process starts with “show me the report”, you exclude many of the people it exists to help.
When evidence is reasonable to ask for.
Asking for some information is not automatically wrong. It becomes reasonable when:
the adjustment is costly, complex or changes the inherent requirements of the role
there is a genuine safety question
you need to understand the functional need to choose the right adjustment
funding is involved, for example through the JobAccess Employment Assistance Fund, which has its own eligibility rules
Even then, ask about functional impact, not diagnosis. “What gets in the way, and what would help?” is more useful than a label, and it respects privacy. A letter from a GP or psychologist describing the need is usually enough when evidence is warranted.
Low-cost adjustments that need no paperwork.
Many adjustments are simply good management. They are cheap, reversible and benefit others, so there is little reason to gatekeep them.
| Need | Adjustment | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Processing spoken instructions | Written follow-up after verbal briefings | Nil |
| Noise and sensory overload | Headphones, quieter desk, dimmer lighting | Low |
| Meeting anxiety or processing time | Agenda and questions in advance | Nil |
| Executive function and planning | Task lists, visual timelines, check-ins | Nil |
| Energy and focus patterns | Flexible start times, protected focus blocks | Nil |
| Contributing in groups | Option to add ideas in writing after the meeting | Nil |
| Reading and writing load | Text-to-speech or dictation software | Low |
Our Neurodivergent Communication Checklist has more ideas you can use straight away.
A five-step adjustment process for managers.
Listen to the request as described. Start with the problem, not the person. Ask what is getting in the way of their work and what they have found helps. Most people already know what works for them.
Agree on a trial. Treat the adjustment as a time-limited trial, for example four to six weeks. Trials lower the stakes for both sides and turn a judgement call into a test.
Write it down. Record what was agreed, when it will be reviewed and who to talk to if something changes. Keep it short and factual. Store it securely, separate from performance records, and agree with the employee who else needs to know.
Review and adjust. At the review, ask what has changed. Keep what works, drop what does not, and try alternatives. Adjustments often evolve as roles change.
Make it portable. Adjustments should not have to be re-argued every time a new manager arrives. A simple “workplace passport” or adjustment record that the employee controls saves everyone time.
Three common requests, and how to respond.
There is almost never a reason to refuse this. Agree how colleagues can get the person’s attention (a message, a tap on the desk, a visual signal) and leave it there. If the concern is client-facing work, agree when headphones come off rather than banning them.
Say yes, and make it your default for the whole team. A two-line follow-up message after a verbal briefing (“To confirm: draft by Thursday, focus on sections 2 and 3, Priya signs off”) prevents misunderstandings for everyone. If written follow-ups feel like extra work, notice how much rework they save.
This one involves more variables, so explore it. Ask which tasks are hardest in the office and why. Options might include home days for focus work, a quieter desk, booked meeting rooms for deep work, or adjusted hours to avoid the busiest periods. Trial one combination, set a review date and look at the work, not just attendance. If the role genuinely requires presence, explain why in terms of the work and look for a middle ground.
In each case, notice what the conversation did not need: a diagnosis, a medical report or a formal process. It needed curiosity, a decision and a review date.
What if the request seems unreasonable?
Sometimes a request will genuinely clash with the role, the team or the budget. That does not end the conversation. It starts a different one.
Separate the need from the solution. The employee may have proposed one fix. There are usually several. Ask what problem the request solves, then look for alternatives together.
Check the inherent requirements. Be specific about which part of the role the request affects and why that part is essential. “That’s how we’ve always done it” is not an inherent requirement.
Get advice before saying no. Talk to HR or, if needed, employment law advice. A refusal should be documented with reasons and alternatives offered.
Revisit later. Circumstances change. A request that is impractical now may be workable after a restructure, a move or new tools.
What about the Fair Work Act?
Employees with a disability can make a formal request for flexible working arrangements under the Fair Work Act 2009, once they meet the service requirements. Employers must respond in writing within 21 days and can only refuse on reasonable business grounds. The Act also protects people from adverse action because of disability. Informal adjustments are usually faster, but managers should know the formal route exists.
Adjustments for remote and hybrid teams.
Distance changes the shape of adjustments rather than removing the need for them. Remote employees may need clearer written priorities because they miss informal updates, agreed response-time expectations so they are not monitoring chat all day, and cameras-optional meetings where video adds little. Hybrid teams can create a new kind of overload: constant switching between environments and rules. Agree which days are for focused work and which are for collaboration, and keep the pattern predictable.
Adjustments are also a psychosocial risk control.
Australia’s psychosocial hazard laws list poor support and lack of role clarity among common hazards. A slow or adversarial adjustment process can itself become a hazard. A quick, respectful one reduces risk. We cover this in more detail in our guide to psychosocial hazards and neurodiversity.
Common mistakes.
Asking “what is your diagnosis?” Ask what helps instead.
Treating adjustments as favours. They are a legal duty and a performance tool.
Over-documenting small requests. A paper trail for headphones signals distrust.
Telling the team without consent. Disclosure is the employee’s choice. Read our guide to handling a disclosure conversation at work.
Setting and forgetting. Unreviewed adjustments drift out of date.
Build adjustments into how the team works.
The best adjustment process is one fewer people need. If clear briefs, agendas and flexible focus time are standard, individuals ask for less, and the people who do ask are not singled out. Our article on neurodiversity in the workplace explains how universal design and individual adjustments work together.
Help managers get adjustment conversations right.
Kaboose gives managers short, practical guidance for adjustment conversations, feedback and overload, exactly when they need it. No diagnosis is needed to use it, and individual activity is never shared with employers.
Can an employer refuse an adjustment because there is no diagnosis?
Refusing solely for that reason is risky. The DDA’s definition of disability is broad and includes disabilities a person is believed to have. Focus on the functional need and whether the adjustment is reasonable.
Can I ask an employee for a medical certificate before making adjustments?
You can ask for reasonable information where it is genuinely needed, for example for costly or safety-related adjustments. For low-cost changes it is rarely necessary and can damage trust.
What counts as unjustifiable hardship?
It depends on the circumstances, including cost, benefit, the effect on others and the employer’s resources. Most adjustments for neurodivergent employees are low cost and unlikely to meet this threshold.
Who pays for workplace adjustments in Australia?
Usually the employer. The JobAccess Employment Assistance Fund can reimburse some costs, such as assistive technology, for eligible employees.
Should adjustments be kept confidential?
Yes. Agree with the employee who needs to know and what will be shared. Health information is sensitive and should be stored securely.
