Type:
University Policy
Division:
Human Resources
Classification:
GOVERNANCE & LEGAL
Contact Phone Number:
503-838-8490
Contact Email Address:
hr@wou.edu
| TITLE | |
| Provision of Support Services and Accommodations: Faculty and Staff | |
| POLICY NUMBER | |
| GL-05-006 | |
| RESPONSIBLE OFFICER | UNIVERSITY CONTACT |
| Vice President and General Counsel | The Office of Human Resources |
| SUMMARY | |
One of the functions of the Office of Disability Services (ODS) is to coordinate and provide accommodations for faculty and staff with disabilities at WOU. | |
| APPLICABLE TO | |
| Faculty and staff | |
| DEFINITIONS | |
| AUTHORITY | |
Vice President for Finance and Administration | |
| FULL STATEMENT OF AUTHORITY | |
|
POLICY STATEMENT These accommodations are to ensure that faculty and staff are able to participate in the full range of activities that are available to them on WOU's campus. The accommodations are also to enable faculty and staff to perform their job duties as prescribed by their job descriptions. Faculty and staff requiring accommodations due to a disability must provide ODS with documentation in order to receive support services from the office. Documentation can be from an appropriate physician or specialist. An individual with a disability is a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more "major life activities," has a record of such an impairment or is perceived as having an impairment. Major life activities include functions such as walking, seeing, hearing, breathing, learning, working, caring for oneself, and performing manual tasks.
PROCEDURES It is the intent of ODS to make departments and divisions as self-sufficient as possible as they provide accommodations to faculty and staff with disabilities. As such ODS will often act as facilitator and advisor while leaving the actual provision of the accommodation to the department. Auxiliary Aids: An auxiliary aid is a service or device that persons with disabilities can use to overcome some or all of the limitations caused by a disability. Auxiliary Aids include, but are not limited to, Sign Language Interpreters, Notetakers, books on tape, or materials needed in an alternative print format. 1. It is the employee's responsibility to inform his/her supervisor or directly contact the ODS, Personnel Officer, or ADA Compliance Officer of a need for job accommodations based on disability. 2. Specific requests for interpreters and notetakers must be made in writing to the ODS (forms can be obtained there). Interpreters and notetakers can be provided in most cases with 48-hours notice. However, if it is an on going event or an event that requires the use of several interpreters, at least 1-2 weeks advance notice is needed. 3. It is the employee's responsibility to make sure that they or their supervisor informs ODS if the service requested is not needed due to cancellation, sickness, or other events. There is an obligation to pay for unused services if they are not cancelled. 4. Any problems with the provision of auxiliary services should be reported immediately to the Director of ODS. Job Site Accommodations: Job site accommodations include structural accommodations, changes in the physical work space of the employee, job restructuring, and adaptation of the employee's job duties and/or the purchase of special equipment. 1. It is the employee's responsibility to inform his/her supervisor or directly contact ODS, Personnel Officer, or ADA Compliance Officer of a need for job site accommodations based on disability. 2. Once a request for a job site accommodation has been received, the ADA accommodation review committee will meet (ODS Director, ADA Compliance Officer, and Human Resources Director) to determine appropriate accommodations. 3. At the meeting a plan will be formulated, by following steps A-D, to determine the necessary changes to be undertaken by all parties involved to provide appropriate accommodations. A. Analyze the particular job function involved to determine its purpose and essential functions. B. Consult with the employee to find out how his/her disability limits job functions and how the limitations can be overcome with an accommodation. C. Identify possible accommodations and assess their effectiveness in helping the employee perform the essential functions of the job. D. Consider the employee's preference of accommodations and then select the most appropriate accommodation for both the employer and the employee. All employee disability services files are housed in the Office of Human Resources and are considered confidential under the Americans with Disabilities Act. | |
| REFERENCED OR RELATED POLICIES | |
| RELEVANT DOCUMENTS AND LINKS | |
| HISTORY | |
|
APPROVAL DATE:
EFFECTIVE DATE: 11/01/1995 LAST UPDATED: 09/22/2016 HISTORICAL DETAIL NOTES: N/A SOURCE: Previously Referred to as: PRE-HR-006 |
|
| FOR POLICY WEBSITE INPUT (public audience keyword search) | |
| accommodations, Americans with Disabilities Act, staff with disabilities | |
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