Procedures for Determining Reasonable Accommodations in Employment | Affirmative Action | SIU

In response to the Americans with Disabilities Act and related state laws, the university provides reasonable accommodation to any qualified individual with a disability if such accommodation is required for that individual to perform the essential functions of his or her position and does not pose an undue hardship or a direct threat to the health and safety of the individual or other employees of the university. The need to provide such accommodation may not be a factor in any employment action involving the individual.

Reasonable accommodations might include, but are not necessarily limited to, making facilities accessible, job restructuring, part-time or modified work schedules, reassignment, special equipment or devices, administrative adjustments, or providing support staff. Many accommodations are relatively inexpensive and within the resources of most university departments. In rare instances, it may be necessary for a department to seek additional funding to provide reasonable accommodation.

The process for determining reasonable accommodation is interactive, involving the supervisor, the employee or applicant, and other appropriate individuals as needed.

Step 1. The employee or applicant needing the accommodation has the responsibility to initiate the request for the accommodation, by discussing the need with the supervisor of the position.

Step 2. The supervisor of the position determines the purpose and the essential functions of the position. Usually this can be accomplished simply by referring to the existing job description.

Step 3. The supervisor consults with the individual with a disability about the precise limitations imposed by the disability as they relate to the essential functions of the position.

Step 4. The individual with the disability and the supervisor identify potential accommodations and assess the effectiveness of each in overcoming job-related limitations and enabling the individual to perform the essential functions of the position.

Step 5. Considering the preferences of the individual with a disability, the supervisor selects the accommodation that best serves the needs of the individual and the employer. The university will give priority to the accommodation desired by the individual with a disability unless constrained by undue hardship or other considerations permitted by law.

In many cases the employing unit will be able to determine and achieve appropriate reasonable accommodation without assistance. However, in some instances, the employing unit may require assistance in this process. The university has established a committee for the purpose of assisting in determining when reasonable accommodation is required and in determining appropriate accommodations. The committee is chaired by the Dr. James Bordieri and includes representation from the following University areas: Affirmative Action, Disability Support Services, Human Resources, and the Rehabilitation Institute. The committee may be consulted by the supervisor, employee or applicant in Step 5 in all cases involving:

• Requests for reasonable accommodation which require any expenditure which cannot be funded by the employing unit or its responsibility area;
• Requests for reasonable accommodation which involve reassigning an employee to a different job or providing staff support which is not already available within the unit; and/or
• Requests for reasonable accommodation which the employing unit is recommending be denied on the basis of posing an undue hardship, a health or safety threat to the individual or other employees, or any other reason permitted by law.

The committee makes recommendations on reasonable accommodations to the Executive Assistant to the President for Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity. The Executive Assistant will consult with the University Legal Counsel, as needed. The decisions of the Executive Assistant are reviewable through the university's Americans with Disabilities Act grievance procedure.