I was torn between workplace and here, but I think the question is better here.
I have an assistant researcher that I have indirectly worked with for 3 months, and for the past month have hired directly for a research project full time (they are not taking classes for 6 months to work on my project). Recently the student informed me they have narcolepsy, and feel it may interfere with their work but would 'like me to understand'.
An important aspect to this is, I do not need advice on legal matters in terms of workplace disabilities etc. (which is why I believe this is not appropriate for workplace), as I have already spoken with HR and I am in a country in which an employer has the power (ie. they told me I can just fire the student, in fact, they were a bit too keen on this, not that I agree with this system at all).
This is a bit different than a physical disability in terms of accessibility, and I don't think it is that comparable to a learning disability as they have no understanding or application hindrance with this one caveat of random extreme lethargic feelings or tiredness. The closest I can think of is insomnia. In that type of situation, I could encourage the student to work hours that benefit their sleep schedule as long as they are responsible with it.
Has anyone had experience with a student researcher with this type of disability? Are there strategies that can help the student perform well?
Update: The type of work is programming and algorithms. There are no safety concerns relative to the lab work.