Disability Accomodation

Requesting Accommodations
Applicants
An applicant who requires an accommodation during the application process should inform the Equal Opportunity Office, 906-227-2420, as appropriate.

Employees
The employee notifies the Equal Opportunity Office or the appropriate supervisor, department head, or dean of his/her disability.  After notification, the employee is provided with the Accommodation Request Form.  The completed Accommodation Request Form and supporting documentation, if any, must be sent to the Equal Opportunity Office.  

The Reasonable Accommodation Process
If a supervisor, department head, or dean receives a request for a reasonable accommodation, he or she should provide the employee with the Accommodation Request Form. This form is available on the Equal Opportunity website and is also available in the Equal Opportunity Office. The employee completes the form either with their department head/director or with a member of the Equal Opportunity staff.  Next the form is brought to their physician for completion.  The employee then returns the completed form, along with any other relevant information, directly to the Equal Opportunity Office, 158 Services Building.

After the Equal Opportunity Office receives and reviews the completed Accommodation Request Form from the employee, the office will contact the employee to determine the appropriate course of action. If the review of the employee’s information and documentation indicates that a reasonable accommodation is needed, the Equal Opportunity Office will consult with the employee to establish an accommodation that will enable the employee to perform the essential functions of the job.  In some cases, Disability Services may be consulted for technical assistance regarding what accommodations are appropriate and available. If it appears that a requested accommodation imposes an undue hardship or that with the accommodation the employee cannot perform the job effectively or safely, the General Counsel’s office may also provide guidance.

The employee will be informed of the final action taken on the accommodation request including what, if any, accommodation will be provided. The Equal Opportunity Office will record the final action taken on the Accommodation Request Form.

Confidentiality
Information provided through the reasonable accommodation process must be kept confidential, with the exception of disclosure to the employee’s supervisor(s) and other personnel who need to be informed in order to assess requests for, implement, or monitor accommodations. Information may also be provided to emergency medical personnel assisting the employee, or to federal/state officials investigating compliance with disability laws or regulations.

Any written information regarding an employee’s medical condition, including the Accommodation Request Form, must be kept separate from the employee’s regular personnel file.  In compliance with applicable laws and regulations, all documents pertaining to a disability request are placed in a confidential file that will be kept in the Equal Opportunity Office. 

A dean, department head, supervisor, or any other person who has participated in the evaluation or implementation of an accommodation request must not share information about an employee’s medical condition or disability with other employees.  Do not inform other employees that an accommodation is being provided because of a co-worker’s medical condition or disability.

Complaints
If an employee wishes to make a complaint about how the accommodation request was handled, or about perceived discrimination based on the disability and/or request for accommodation, the steps in the Discrimination/Complaint Procedure should be followed.