ANSWER
- The University provides reasonable accommodation to otherwise qualified employees who are disabled or become disabled and need assistance to perform the essential functions of their positions.
- Reasonable Accommodation is addressed through the use of the interactive process to determine what, if any, reasonable accommodation will be made.
- The employee is responsible for providing medical documentation to assist in assessing the extent of the employee’s functional limitations and facilitate the interactive process to determine possible reasonable accommodations.
- Examples of Reasonable Accommodation:
- Telecommuting, providing a modified work schedule, allowing assistive animals, etc.
- The following are NOT Reasonable Accommodations:
- Eliminating an essential job function, creating a new position for the employee, making a light duty position permanent, an accommodation that would endanger the health or safety of the employee or others, indefinite leave, etc.
See also "What is the process for requesting a reasonable accommodation?"
WAYS TO PREVENT LIABILITY
- Recommended lead practice is to consult your local Disability Management experts.
- Must engage in and document the Interactive Process
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Interactive process – The process by which the University and the employee engage in a dialogue about the employee’s functional work limitations due to a disability and any accommodation that can be made that would allow the employee to perform he essential functions of the position.
Essential functions – functions are essential when the position exists to perform that function
Undue hardship – Any action requiring significant difficulty or expense. It is the burden of employer to prove, but is difficult to prove.