Big Lots applicants can request accommodations during hiring process
Big Lots applicants can ask for disability accommodations before day one, including during interviews and tests. The key is matching the request to the hiring task, not waiting until after an offer.
A Big Lots applicant can ask for extra time on a hiring test or a quieter interview room before the first shift ever starts. Under Equal Employment Opportunity Commission guidance, accommodation can start with the application, the interview, or any hiring test.
What the law covers before day one
The EEOC’s guidance makes two points that matter in a Big Lots hiring line: an employer may explain what the hiring process involves, and it may ask whether an applicant needs a reasonable accommodation to take part in that process. That can include an interview, a timed test, a job demonstration, or another step used to screen candidates.
The same guidance also says applicants with disabilities must still be qualified for the job and able to perform its essential functions, either on their own or with reasonable accommodation.
EEOC rules also limit what employers can ask before an offer. In general, disability-related questions and medical exams are off-limits until after a conditional job offer.
What Big Lots applicants can reasonably request
For Big Lots candidates, the most practical requests are the ones tied directly to the hiring step in front of you. If the store uses a written assessment, you can ask for extra time or another format that still measures the same skill. If the interview space is noisy or crowded, a quieter room may be a reasonable request.
A lifting test, a standing requirement, or a job demonstration can also raise accommodation questions. The task can still be required, but the setup can change so it measures the essential function of the role without creating an avoidable barrier. In a retail setting, that might mean a different way to demonstrate handling merchandise, or a modified test environment that does not interfere with concentration, mobility, or communication.
The EEOC also treats the application process itself as a place where accommodation can apply. If a candidate needs help completing an online form, needs a screen-reader-friendly process, or needs more time because of a disability-related issue, that request belongs in the same conversation as interview logistics.
What Big Lots can still require
Applicants should be clear about the line the law draws. Big Lots can still require candidates to meet the job’s essential functions, and it can still evaluate whether someone can do those tasks with or without accommodation. A request for help does not erase the underlying requirements of the role.
Retail jobs often involve physical tasks, customer interaction, schedule flexibility, and fast-paced work. The accommodation has to support participation in the hiring process or the performance of the job; it does not force the company to eliminate the essential work itself. If the role requires stock handling, customer service, or another core duty, the employer can focus on whether the applicant can handle that duty with a lawful adjustment.
Before a conditional offer, the company generally should not be asking disability-related questions or pushing for medical information. After a conditional offer, different rules apply.
How to ask for an accommodation during hiring
The cleanest requests are specific, brief, and tied to the step you are trying to complete. If you need a change for a test, say so. If you need a different interview setup, say what would work. If the job demonstration is the issue, describe the limitation and the adjustment that would let you participate fairly.
A simple approach looks like this:
1. Identify the hiring step that creates the barrier, such as an assessment, interview, or job demo.
2. Say that you need a reasonable accommodation to participate.
3. Name the adjustment you believe would work, such as extra time, a quieter room, or another format.
4. Use the company’s hiring or contact channel so the request reaches the right person before the process moves too far.
Big Lots’ jobs page states employment and advancement are offered to qualified individuals regardless of disability and other protected statuses. Its contact page also lists customer service and a careers/contact pathway, which can serve as a practical starting point for applicants who need help before applying or before an interview is scheduled.
Why this matters at Big Lots right now
In SEC filings, the company said it operated 1,392 stores in 48 states and an e-commerce platform as of May 4, 2024.
Big Lots filed voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy petitions on September 9, 2024, in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware. Around that filing, Bloomberg Law put the company at about 9,600 full-time employees and about 18,100 part-time employees. CNBC put the Nexus Capital Management deal at about $760 million as part of the court-supervised process.
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