Just a handful of years ago, the term “neurodiversity” was largely relegated to academic spheres; today, the concept that human brains function differently, and that some need nontraditional support for optimal functioning, is mainstream. But that doesn’t mean all HR functions are equipped to support their neurodiverse employees—or to stay compliant on this front.
As diagnostic criteria have broadened and public awareness of neurodiversity has risen due to increased access to information and community-building over social media, rates of neurodivergent diagnoses have skyrocketed. For instance, one study found a 450% increase in autism diagnoses among adults aged 26-34 between 2011 and 2022. At the same time, another report found that ADHD diagnoses among adults 30-44 soared more than 60% between 2021 and 2024—a rate that’s even higher for older adults.
Given that many of these individuals are part of the workforce, it stands to reason that employers are facing a reckoning on how they support their neurodivergent workers—both from a talent strategy perspective and in the compliance realm.
“Neurodiversity accommodations are definitely not new under the Americans with Disabilities Act,” notes Jeff Nowak, co-chair of employment law firm Littler’s Leaves of Absence and Disability Accommodation Practice Group. “But what is new and what is making this such a hot issue is how frequently employers are seeing these requests—and how different they look from traditional ADA...
By Victor Ahiuma-Young The National Pension Commission (PenCom) has introduced stricter advertising rules for Pension Fund Administrators, PFAs, warning operators against false claims, misleading ...