Documentation of Disability: When an employee submits a Request for Disability Accommodation Form, s/he must provide, at his/her own expense, documentation of his/her disability in the form of a written evaluation by an appropriate health care provider. The employee will be required to sign a Medical/Health Care Information Release Form, so that the health care provider can provide the Human Resource Office (HR) with the appropriate documentation. HR will send a written request to the employee’s health care provider requesting the appropriate medical documentation of the employee’s disability. The request will include the signed release form and a written job description of the essential functions of the job, which may include the mental and physical demands of the employee’s job as well as It is the employee’s responsibility to ensure that the medical documentation/information requested is returned to HR.
Temporary Accommodations: After consultation with the employee and his/her department chair or supervisor, HR may provide the employee with a temporary accommodation pending receipt and evaluation of the documentation of the disability. HR will notify the employee, in writing, of the temporary accommodation to be provided.
Evaluation of Documentation: Upon receipt of documentation from an employee’s health care provider, the University will determine if the employee has a disability as defined by the ADA, and if the employee can perform the essential functions of her/his position, with or without reasonable accommodation.
Second Opinions: HR and/or the University’s ADA Coordinator may contact the employee’s health care provider for clarification of the written evaluation. HR may also, at the University’s expense, seek a second opinion. The employee must make him/herself available for such an evaluation.
Final Determination and Notification to Staff or to Faculty Members: The University has the authority to make the final determination regarding what accommodation, if any, is appropriate. When a final determination is made, HR will send written notification to the employee of whether an accommodation has been granted, and if so, will specify what accommodation has been granted. HR will also notify the employee’s department chair or supervisor if an accommodation is to be provided to the employee.
Right to Appeal: If an accommodation request is denied, the employee may submit a request for review to the Assistant Vice President of Human Resources. This appeal must be made within five days of the notice of denial and must be in writing.
