CDMS Questions and Answers
Updated 2026
.MbronchitisM-
MAnswerMinflammationMofMlungMairwaysMandMproductionMofMtooMmuchMsputum
ADAM-
MAnswerMrequiresMreasonableMaccommodationsMthatMdoMnotMcauseMundueMhardshipM(c
ost,MnatureMofMbusiness)
ADAMAmendmentsMActMofM2008M-
MAnswerMbroadenedMdefinitionMofMdisability,MprohibitsMconsiderationMofMmitigatingMmeas
uresMsuchMasMmedication,MassistiveMtechnology,Maccommodations,MorMmodificationsMwhe
nMdeterminingMwhetherManMimpairmentMsubstantiallyMlimitsMaMmajorMlifeMactivityMInclud
esMcurrentMalcoholMuse,MbutMnotMcurrentMillegalMdrugMuse.
ADAMcauseMforMdenyingMemploymentM-
MAnswerMveryMlowMriskMbutMsevereMconsequences,MorMsevereMriskMandMminorMconseq
uences
ADAMcompanyMsizeM-MAnswerM15+Memployees
ADAMdoesMNOTMrequireM-
MAnswerMprovideMtreatment,MwaiveMuniformMdisciplinaryMstandards,MprovideMstress-
freeMenvironment,MeliminateMperformanceMevaluations,MeliminateMessentialMjobMfunctions,
MprovideMirregular/indefiniteMleave,MreduceMperformanceMstandards,McreateMaMnewMposit
ion,MorMarrangeMaMtransferMwhenMnoMpositionsMareMavailable
ADAMeligibilityM-
MAnswerMSUBSTANTIALLYMimpairedMtoMbeMeligibleMforMADAMprotection.MIncludesMconditi
onsMthatMcauseMdifferentialMtreatmentMbutMdoMnotMotherwiseMimpactMjobM(e.g.MburnM
victims).
ADAMrequiresMemployersMtoMapproachMemployeesMaboutMaccommodationMwhen:M-
MAnswerMknowsMaboutMdisability,MknowsMitMisMcausingMproblemsMonMtheMjob,MandMk
nowsMthatMdisabilityMpreventsMemployeeMfromMrequestingMaccommodation.
,advocacyMbiasM-
MAnswerMevaluatorMhasMaMvestedMinterestMinMaMparticularMdiagnosisMorMtreatmentMpr
otoco
aggravationMvsMexacerbationM-
MAnswerMaggravationMisManMeventMthatMpermanentlyMworsensManMunderlyingMcondition.
MExacerbations,Mflare-
ups,MandMrecurrences,MonMtheMotherMhand,MareMeventsMthatMonlyMtemporarilyMworsen
MaMcondition.
AirMCarriersMAccessMActM-MAnswerMdisabledMaccessMonMairMcarriers
AMAMdisabilityMdefinitionM-
MAnswerMDisabilityMdefinedMasMpersistingM12+Mmonths,MORMafterMtreatmentMhasMbeen
MexhaustedM(MMI)
AmericanMHealthMInformationMManagementMAssociationM(AHIMA)M-
MAnswerMOffersMtraining,Mcertification,Mresearch
amputationMcomplicationsM-
MAnswerMcontracturesM(shortening/hardeningMofMmuscles,Mtendons,MotherMissues,Mleading
MtoMjointMdeformity/rigidity),Medema,MskinMulcerations
ApportionmentMtoMnaturalMcourseMofMdisorderM-
MAnswerMadjustingMbasedMonMexpectedMcourseMofMdisorder
ApportionmentMtoMoff-the-jobMstressorsM-MAnswerMpartMofMdisabilityMnotMdueMtoMjob
ApportionmentMtoMpreexistingMdisabilityM(forMworker'sMcomp)M-
MAnswerMemployeeMhadMdisabilityMonMpreviousMjob
ApprenticeshipM-MAnswerMformalMinstructionMplusMonMtheMjobMtraining
ArchitecturalMBarriersMActM1968M-
MAnswerMfederalMfundingMforMbuildingsMmustMprovideMaccessMtoMdisabledMpersons
, AssistiveMdeviceMexamplesM-
MAnswerMmouthpieceMforMquadriplegics,MlongMhandledMgrippers,MadaptedMkeyboards
b.i.d.,MbidM-MAnswerMtwiceMdaily
BalanceMsheetM-MAnswerMshowsMassets,Mliabilities,MandMequityMofMbusiness
beneficenceM-
MAnswerMprincipleMofMdecidingMwhatMisMgoodMratherMthanMwhatMisMharmfulMforMwor
ker
BenefitMdepartmentMresponsibilitiesMinMdisabilityMmanagementM-
MAnswerMevaluateMclaims,MprovideMcompensation,MmediateMoutsideMagencies,McounselM
workersM*greatestMamountMofMresponsibility
benefitMofMnetworkingM-MAnswerMtapMhiddenMjobMmarket
BusinessMworkers'McompMrequirementsM-
MAnswerMrequiredMbyMstateMgovernmentsMtoMpurchaseMstate-fundedMinsurance,Mself-
insurance,MorMprivateMinsurance,MdependingMonMtheMstate.MInMeveryMstate,Mhowever,M
businessesMareMrequiredMtoMpurchaseMsomeMformMofMworkersMcompensationMinsurance
CardiomyopathyM-MAnswerMDiseaseMofMheartMmuscle
CardiovascularMdiseaseMclassificationsM-MAnswerMAM-MnoMphysicalMlimitationsMtoMactivity
BM-MlimitationsMtoMsevereMactivityMonly
C-MmoderateMlimitationsMtoMnormalMactivity
DM-MhighMlimitationsMonMnormalMactivity
EM-MbedMrest
CaseMmanagerMinterventionMchecklistM-
MAnswerMIncludesMworkplaceMinterventions,MinterventionsMwithMhealthcareMprofessionals,
MinterventionsMwithMsocialMagencies,MmonitorMperformanceMofMoutsideMagencies
Updated 2026
.MbronchitisM-
MAnswerMinflammationMofMlungMairwaysMandMproductionMofMtooMmuchMsputum
ADAM-
MAnswerMrequiresMreasonableMaccommodationsMthatMdoMnotMcauseMundueMhardshipM(c
ost,MnatureMofMbusiness)
ADAMAmendmentsMActMofM2008M-
MAnswerMbroadenedMdefinitionMofMdisability,MprohibitsMconsiderationMofMmitigatingMmeas
uresMsuchMasMmedication,MassistiveMtechnology,Maccommodations,MorMmodificationsMwhe
nMdeterminingMwhetherManMimpairmentMsubstantiallyMlimitsMaMmajorMlifeMactivityMInclud
esMcurrentMalcoholMuse,MbutMnotMcurrentMillegalMdrugMuse.
ADAMcauseMforMdenyingMemploymentM-
MAnswerMveryMlowMriskMbutMsevereMconsequences,MorMsevereMriskMandMminorMconseq
uences
ADAMcompanyMsizeM-MAnswerM15+Memployees
ADAMdoesMNOTMrequireM-
MAnswerMprovideMtreatment,MwaiveMuniformMdisciplinaryMstandards,MprovideMstress-
freeMenvironment,MeliminateMperformanceMevaluations,MeliminateMessentialMjobMfunctions,
MprovideMirregular/indefiniteMleave,MreduceMperformanceMstandards,McreateMaMnewMposit
ion,MorMarrangeMaMtransferMwhenMnoMpositionsMareMavailable
ADAMeligibilityM-
MAnswerMSUBSTANTIALLYMimpairedMtoMbeMeligibleMforMADAMprotection.MIncludesMconditi
onsMthatMcauseMdifferentialMtreatmentMbutMdoMnotMotherwiseMimpactMjobM(e.g.MburnM
victims).
ADAMrequiresMemployersMtoMapproachMemployeesMaboutMaccommodationMwhen:M-
MAnswerMknowsMaboutMdisability,MknowsMitMisMcausingMproblemsMonMtheMjob,MandMk
nowsMthatMdisabilityMpreventsMemployeeMfromMrequestingMaccommodation.
,advocacyMbiasM-
MAnswerMevaluatorMhasMaMvestedMinterestMinMaMparticularMdiagnosisMorMtreatmentMpr
otoco
aggravationMvsMexacerbationM-
MAnswerMaggravationMisManMeventMthatMpermanentlyMworsensManMunderlyingMcondition.
MExacerbations,Mflare-
ups,MandMrecurrences,MonMtheMotherMhand,MareMeventsMthatMonlyMtemporarilyMworsen
MaMcondition.
AirMCarriersMAccessMActM-MAnswerMdisabledMaccessMonMairMcarriers
AMAMdisabilityMdefinitionM-
MAnswerMDisabilityMdefinedMasMpersistingM12+Mmonths,MORMafterMtreatmentMhasMbeen
MexhaustedM(MMI)
AmericanMHealthMInformationMManagementMAssociationM(AHIMA)M-
MAnswerMOffersMtraining,Mcertification,Mresearch
amputationMcomplicationsM-
MAnswerMcontracturesM(shortening/hardeningMofMmuscles,Mtendons,MotherMissues,Mleading
MtoMjointMdeformity/rigidity),Medema,MskinMulcerations
ApportionmentMtoMnaturalMcourseMofMdisorderM-
MAnswerMadjustingMbasedMonMexpectedMcourseMofMdisorder
ApportionmentMtoMoff-the-jobMstressorsM-MAnswerMpartMofMdisabilityMnotMdueMtoMjob
ApportionmentMtoMpreexistingMdisabilityM(forMworker'sMcomp)M-
MAnswerMemployeeMhadMdisabilityMonMpreviousMjob
ApprenticeshipM-MAnswerMformalMinstructionMplusMonMtheMjobMtraining
ArchitecturalMBarriersMActM1968M-
MAnswerMfederalMfundingMforMbuildingsMmustMprovideMaccessMtoMdisabledMpersons
, AssistiveMdeviceMexamplesM-
MAnswerMmouthpieceMforMquadriplegics,MlongMhandledMgrippers,MadaptedMkeyboards
b.i.d.,MbidM-MAnswerMtwiceMdaily
BalanceMsheetM-MAnswerMshowsMassets,Mliabilities,MandMequityMofMbusiness
beneficenceM-
MAnswerMprincipleMofMdecidingMwhatMisMgoodMratherMthanMwhatMisMharmfulMforMwor
ker
BenefitMdepartmentMresponsibilitiesMinMdisabilityMmanagementM-
MAnswerMevaluateMclaims,MprovideMcompensation,MmediateMoutsideMagencies,McounselM
workersM*greatestMamountMofMresponsibility
benefitMofMnetworkingM-MAnswerMtapMhiddenMjobMmarket
BusinessMworkers'McompMrequirementsM-
MAnswerMrequiredMbyMstateMgovernmentsMtoMpurchaseMstate-fundedMinsurance,Mself-
insurance,MorMprivateMinsurance,MdependingMonMtheMstate.MInMeveryMstate,Mhowever,M
businessesMareMrequiredMtoMpurchaseMsomeMformMofMworkersMcompensationMinsurance
CardiomyopathyM-MAnswerMDiseaseMofMheartMmuscle
CardiovascularMdiseaseMclassificationsM-MAnswerMAM-MnoMphysicalMlimitationsMtoMactivity
BM-MlimitationsMtoMsevereMactivityMonly
C-MmoderateMlimitationsMtoMnormalMactivity
DM-MhighMlimitationsMonMnormalMactivity
EM-MbedMrest
CaseMmanagerMinterventionMchecklistM-
MAnswerMIncludesMworkplaceMinterventions,MinterventionsMwithMhealthcareMprofessionals,
MinterventionsMwithMsocialMagencies,MmonitorMperformanceMofMoutsideMagencies
