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Reasonable Accommodation

 

Policy Statement

The Board complies with the reasonable-accommodation requirements of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the federal government's equivalent of the Americans with Disabilities Act, as well as with the Board's Rules Regarding Equal Opportunity (12 C.F.R. § 268). Accordingly, this policy establishes the procedures for providing (1) qualified individuals with disabilities reasonable accommodations to enable them to perform the essential functions of their jobs, (2) employees with disabilities reasonable accommodations to ensure they enjoy the equal benefits and privileges of employment, and (3) job applicants with disabilities reasonable accommodations to assist them in applying for jobs at the Board. If requested, this policy is available to job applicants and employees in an accessible format. The Board also provides reasonable accommodations to pregnant employees and applicants. All provisions of this policy apply to pregnant employees and applicants in the same manner that they apply to disabled employees and applicants. Employees or applicants requesting a pregnancy-related reasonable accommodation should follow the procedures applicable to disabled employees under this policy.

Definitions

Disability. With respect to an individual, a disability is a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of such individual's "major life activities"; a record of such an impairment; or being regarded as having such an impairment.1 Major life activities include activities such as walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, performing manual tasks, eating, sleeping, standing, lifting, bending, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, and working, as well as the operation of major bodily functions such as functions of the immune system, normal cell growth, and digestive, bowel, bladder, neurological, brain, respiratory, circulatory, endocrine, and reproductive functions. An impairment that is episodic or in remission may constitute a disability if it would substantially limit a major life activity when active.

Equal benefits and privileges of employment. Those benefits, such as cafeteria service, fitness center access, or employee benefit plans, that are available (under the conditions and limitations established by the Board) to the Board's similarly situated employees without disabilities.

Essential functions. Those job duties that are so fundamental to the position that the individual holds or desires that they cannot do the job without performing them. A function can be essential if, among other things, the position exists specifically to perform that function, there are a limited number of other employees who could perform the function, or the function is specialized and the individual is hired based on their ability to perform it. Determination of the essential functions of a position must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis so that it reflects the job as actually performed and not simply the components of a generic position description.

Genetic information. This means genetic information as defined by the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA) and includes such information as an applicant's or employee's, or their family member's, genetic tests; an applicant's or employee's family medical history (or manifestation of a disease or disorder in a family member); an applicant's or employee's, or their family member's, request for genetic services (as defined by GINA); an applicant's or employee's, or their family member's, participation in clinical research that includes genetic services; or genetic information of a fetus carried by an applicant or employee or an applicant's or employee's family member or an embryo lawfully held by an applicant or employee or their family member receiving assistive reproductive services. Genetic information does not include information about the sex, age, race, or ethnicity of an applicant or employee or their family member.

Qualified. An individual with a disability is qualified for a position if (1) they satisfy the requisite skill, experience, education, and other job-related requirements of the position and (2) they can perform the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation. In this regard the Board has adopted the definition of qualified that is used under the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's (EEOC's) regulations at 29 C.F.R. § 1630.2(m).

Reasonable accommodation. Any change in the work environment or in the way things are customarily done that would not create an undue hardship for the Board and would enable (1) a qualified individual with a disability to perform the essential functions of their job, (2) an employee with a disability to enjoy the equal benefits and privileges of employment, and/or (3) an individual with a disability to apply for a job at the Board.

Undue hardship. If a specific type of accommodation causes significant difficulty or expense, then the Board does not have to provide that particular accommodation. Determination of undue hardship is always made on a case-by-case basis, considering factors that include the nature and cost of the accommodation needed and the impact of the accommodation on the operations of the Board. In determining undue hardship, the Board will consider all resources available to it as a whole, excluding those designated by statute for a specific purpose that does not include reasonable accommodation.

Requesting Accommodations

A job applicant or employee can request either an informal accommodation or a formal reasonable accommodation, but only a request for a formal reasonable accommodation gives rise to the rights and obligations under the Rehabilitation Act. An informal accommodation is an accommodation the Board may make in the ordinary course of its business, such as an ergonomic equipment adjustment for an employee, whether or not the employee is disabled under the Rehabilitation Act. A formal reasonable accommodation is an accommodation the Board would make as a result of its legal obligation to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities under the Rehabilitation Act.

An individual does not need to use special words, such as "reasonable accommodation," "disability," or "Rehabilitation Act," when requesting an informal accommodation or formal reasonable accommodation. The individual also need not have a particular accommodation in mind before making a request. Rather the individual may simply note that they require a change, adjustment, or modification to the workplace. However, in order for the Board to know whether an individual is making an informal request versus a formal request for a reasonable accommodation under the Rehabilitation Act, the individual must state in the request whether the accommodation—or, in other words, the need for a change, adjustment, or modification—is due to a medical condition. If the individual does not state that the accommodation is due to a medical condition, the Board will assume the individual is making an informal accommodation request. Informal accommodation requests do not receive the same procedural protections as formal reasonable accommodation requests under the Rehabilitation Act.

Informal Accommodation Requests

The Board has an informal policy of making minor changes in office furniture and equipment (such as computers) and other similar adjustments to increase the comfort of employees who may not necessarily suffer from a disability or other medical condition.2

As noted above, informal accommodation requests will not receive the same procedural protections and considerations as formal reasonable accommodation requests under the Rehabilitation Act. Informal accommodation requests, which, in most cases, require no showing of medical necessity but do require a reason for the request, should be submitted to the employee's division administrator. The division administrator, in consultation with the division director, will decide whether to approve an informal accommodation request.3

Formal Reasonable-Accommodation Requests

Timing and Content of the Request
Timing. Individuals may request formal reasonable accommodations, orally or in writing, whenever they choose, even if they have not previously disclosed the existence of a disability.

Content. As noted above, a request for a reasonable accommodation need not use special words, such as "reasonable accommodation," "disability," or "Rehabilitation Act." However, the individual must state in their request that the request is due to a medical condition if the individual would like for the request to receive the procedural and other protections afforded under the Rehabilitation Act and this policy.

How to Submit a Request for a Reasonable Accommodation
Employees. Employees seeking a reasonable accommodation must request an accommodation from one of the following: (1) their immediate supervisor, (2) their second-level manager, (3) their division director, or (4) Employee Life (email: [email protected]).

Job applicants. A job applicant seeking a reasonable accommodation to apply for a job must request an accommodation from one of the following: (1) a recruiting specialist assigned to the vacancy, (2) the manager in charge of the particular vacancy, (3) a Board representative with whom the applicant has had substantial contact during the job-application process—for example, an interviewer, or (4) Employee Life (email: [email protected]).

Representatives of employees or applicants. An individual representing an employee or applicant, such as a family member, attorney, or health professional, may request a reasonable accommodation on the employee's or applicant's behalf. The request must follow the processes outlined above depending upon for whom (employee or applicant) the accommodation is requested. Board staff, where possible, should confirm with the employee or applicant that they, in fact, desire the requested accommodation.

If an employee needs the same reasonable accommodation on a recurring basis, such as the assistance of a sign language interpreter, and their initial request for such accommodation has already been approved, they may obtain the accommodation on subsequent occasions by, each subsequent time the accommodation is needed, giving appropriate advance notice to (1) their immediate supervisor, (2) their second-level manager, (3) their division director, or (4) Employee Life. If the accommodation is needed on a regular basis (e.g., a weekly staff meeting), the second-level manager should ensure that the employee's supervisor makes the appropriate arrangements without requiring a request in advance of each occasion.

Information Reporting Form for Reasonable-Accommodation Requests
The Board employee who receives the request for accommodation under the Rehabilitation Act must fill out the applicable portions of the Reasonable Accommodation Information Reporting Request form (the reporting form) and forward it to Employee Life, People, Strategy & Operations (PSO), Division of Management. This form is available in an accessible format if requested. The employee filling out the form may obtain assistance from the requester, but should in any event submit the form to Employee Life no more than five business days after the request was made. If additional information is needed to complete the form, the Employee Life staff member who receives the request will contact the requester to obtain the information and/or note why the missing information could not be obtained.

Processing Requests

Medical Information
Unless a disability and/or need for accommodation is obvious or already known, appropriate medical information will be needed, after a request is made, to make a determination on the individual's request for an accommodation. A disability is considered obvious if it is apparent to all observers that it substantially limits one or more of the requester's major life activities and there is no need for detailed medical documentation explaining the condition. For example, an employee's total blindness should be obvious, and there would be no need to submit medical documentation to establish that a disability exists and that it substantially limits a major life activity. In addition, assuming the accommodation requested is designed to assist with blindness generally, there would be no need for the employee to submit medical documentation to support the need for the accommodation.

In all other cases, the extent and type of information required will vary depending on the nature of the disability and the accommodation requested. However, the Board will need to know the following information to make a determination under this policy: (1) the nature of the medical problem at issue; (2) the major life activity or activities that are substantially limited and how they are substantially limited; (3) the actual or expected duration of the medical problem; and (4) how the requested accommodation will address the individual's limitations and assist the individual in performing the essential functions of their job, enjoying equal benefits and privileges of employment, or applying for a job. Of course, if the Board already has sufficient information to know the above information, which is designed to understand the existence of the disability and the functional limitations of the disability, the Board may not request medical information.

The Board has the right to request relevant supplemental medical information if the information submitted does not clearly explain and address all issues outlined above. The individual will be given a reasonable period to submit any necessary documentation. The Board has the right to have a medical expert of its choosing (and at its expense) review any medical documentation submitted as well as to examine the individual making the request. Failure to provide requested medical information may result in a denial of the request for an accommodation.

Under limited circumstances, the Board may require an individual requesting an accommodation to undergo a medical examination. If the individual has provided insufficient documentation from their health-care professional to substantiate the disability and/or need for the accommodation, the Board will explain why the documentation is insufficient and allow the individual an opportunity to provide the missing information in a timely manner. If, after an opportunity to submit additional information, the medical documentation is still insufficient, the Board may require the individual to be examined by a health-care professional of the Board's choice to substantiate the disability and/or need for the accommodation in order to continue to process the request for a reasonable accommodation.

Documentation is insufficient if, for example, (1) it does not establish the existence of a disability and explain the need for the reasonable accommodation requested, (2) it is from a health-care professional who does not have the expertise to give an opinion about the medical condition and the limitations imposed by it, (3) the information does not specify the functional limitations due to the disability, or (4) other factors indicate that the information provided is not credible or may be fraudulent. If the individual fails to provide sufficient documentation and refuses to be examined by a health-care professional of the Board's choice and at the Board's expense, the Board does not have to provide a reasonable accommodation until sufficient documentation is provided.

The scope of any medical examination must be limited to determining the existence of a disability and the functional limitations that require a reasonable accommodation.

Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008
GINA prohibits employers from requesting or requiring genetic information of an individual, except as specifically allowed by this law. In accordance with GINA, when the Board requests medical information or conducts medical examinations, the Board will not seek to collect genetic information, and it will inform applicants, employees, and health-care providers responding to Board inquiries or working on the Board's behalf not to share genetic information with the Board.

Time Frame for Responding to a Request
The time limit for responding to a request for accommodation begins when the oral or written request is received by the appropriate Board representative as outlined above. Unless extenuating circumstances (for example, circumstances beyond the Board's ability to control, such as equipment being backordered or that involves significant work, such as structural changes) are involved, the chief human capital officer (CHCO) or their designee will respond to the request no later than 30 days after the request for accommodation was received. However, if the Board requests medical or other information, the period for responding will be extended by the number of days that the Board waited for a response to its request.

If extenuating circumstances exist and the 30-day period must be extended, the CHCO or their designee will notify the individual of the delay, state the reason (or reasons) for the delay, and inform the individual of the date on which a decision is expected to be made. The Board will make reasonable accommodations prior to the expiration of the 30-day period if circumstances permit such expedited action. Where circumstances permit a particular reasonable accommodation to be provided in less than 30 days, failure to provide the accommodation in a prompt manner may result in a violation of the Rehabilitation Act. In addition, the period for processing a request must be expedited if the accommodation is needed to enable an individual to apply for a job or attend a Board activity that is scheduled to occur prior to the end of the 30-day processing period.

When all the facts and circumstances known to the Board make it reasonably likely that an individual will be entitled to a reasonable accommodation, but the accommodation cannot be provided immediately, the Board will determine whether it can, without undue hardship to the Board, provide an interim accommodation that allows the individual to perform some or all of the essential functions of their job (and, if so, will provide such interim accommodation).

To contact Employee Life and/or the CHCO related to a reasonable accommodation request, or to track the status of a reasonable accommodation request, please email [email protected]. Staff will provide information regarding status within five business days.

Interactive Process
After a request for accommodation has been made, the next step is for the parties to begin the interactive process to determine what, if any, accommodation should be provided. This means that the individual requesting the accommodation and Employee Life must communicate with each other about the request, the precise nature of the problem that is generating the request, how a disability is prompting a need for an accommodation, and alternative accommodations that may be effective in meeting an individual's needs.

Employee Life will contact the applicant or employee after receiving the request to begin discussing it. In some instances, Employee Life may need to get information to determine if an individual's impairment is a "disability," as defined in 12 C.F.R. § 268, or to determine what would be an effective accommodation. Such information may not be necessary if an effective accommodation is obvious, if the disability is obvious (e.g., the requester is blind or has paraplegia) or if the disability is already known to the Board (e.g., the requester previously asked for an accommodation and information submitted at that time showed a disability existed and that there would be no change in the individual's medical condition).

Communication is a priority throughout the entire process, but particularly where the specific limitation, problem, or barrier is unclear; where an effective accommodation is not obvious; or where the parties are considering different forms of reasonable accommodation. Both the requester and the decisionmaker should work together to identify effective accommodations. Failure on the part of a requester to cooperate in these efforts may result in the denial of the request for reasonable accommodation. Appendix B lists some suggested resources for identifying accommodations.

Employee Life may need to consult with other Board personnel (e.g., an employee's supervisor, Information Technology staff) or outside sources to obtain information necessary to make a determination about the request. All Board personnel are expected to give a high priority to responding quickly to Employee Life's request for information or assistance.

Decisionmaking Process

Requests Involving Job Performance
The Board representative (or representatives) who receives an accommodation request involving job performance should advise Employee Life of the request by filling out and forwarding part I of the reporting form to Employee Life no later than five days after receipt of the request. As noted above, Employee Life will work with the requesting employee and employing division, as appropriate, to respond to the request. Absent extenuating circumstances, the CHCO or their designee will make a final determination as to how to respond to the request within 30 days of the date on which the Board received the request.

Requests by Job Applicants
The Board representative (or representatives) who receives a request for accommodation by a job applicant should advise Employee Life of the request by filling out and forwarding part I of the reporting form to Employee Life no later than five days after receipt of the request. Employee Life will work with the requesting applicant and the manager in charge of the vacancy and other divisions, as appropriate, to resolve the request. Absent extenuating circumstances, the CHCO or their designee will make a final determination as to how to respond to the request within 30 days of the date on which the Board received the request.

Requests Involving Equal Benefits and Privileges of Employment
The Board representative (or representatives) who receives an accommodation request involving equal benefits and privileges of employment should advise Employee Life of the request by forwarding part I of the reporting form to Employee Life no later than five days after receipt of the request. Employee Life will work with the requesting employee and other divisions, as appropriate, to resolve the request. Absent extenuating circumstances, the CHCO or their designee will make a final determination as to how to respond to the request within 30 days of the date on which the Board received the request.

Types of Accommodations

The Board will consider a range of possible reasonable accommodations. The Board retains discretion to choose among any reasonable accommodation options that address the individual's disability, and is not required to provide the reasonable accommodation favored by the requester.

Reassignment to a vacant position for which an employee is qualified, and not just permission to compete for such position, is a reasonable accommodation under the Rehabilitation Act. Reassignment will be considered as a reasonable accommodation if the Board determines that no other reasonable accommodation will permit the employee with a disability to perform the essential functions of their current position or if the only effective accommodation would cause undue hardship.

In considering whether there are positions available for reassignment, Employee Relations will work with the requester to identify (1) all vacant positions within the agency for which the requester may be qualified, with or without reasonable accommodation, and (2) all positions that PSO knows will become vacant within a reasonable amount of time and for which the requester may be qualified. For example, if PSO knows that a position for which the requester is qualified will become vacant in a week, that position should be considered for reassignment.

Employee Relations will first focus on positions that are equivalent to the employee's current job in terms of pay, status, and other relevant factors. If there is no vacant equivalent position, Employee Relations will consider vacant lower-level positions for which the employee is qualified.

If the Board is considering reassignment as an accommodation, the Board may consult with the affected employee as necessary to determine whether there are limitations on the search the employee would like the Board to conduct.

Funding Accommodations

The Board's Integrated Disability Management Specialist will work with relevant agency officials who grant or deny requests for accommodation or who make hiring decisions to ensure they know how to arrange for the use of agency resources to provide the accommodation. If the Board determines an accommodation is needed under this policy, the Board's Integrated Disability Management Specialist will work with each division and office to ensure that all approved accommodations are funded. To deny an accommodation based on cost, agency officials must consider all resources available to the agency as a whole, excluding those designated by statute for a specific purpose that does not include reasonable accommodation.

Granted Requests

If the request for accommodation is granted, the accommodation will be provided at the same time as the response to the request for accommodation is given to the requester. If the accommodation will take longer to provide, the requester will be informed and told when the accommodation will be provided. Management's decision to provide a requested accommodation does not constitute an admission by the Board that the individual who is given the accommodation is disabled under the Rehabilitation Act or that the accommodation provided is a reasonable accommodation under that act.

Denied Requests

Requesters shall be notified in writing if their request for an accommodation is denied. The denial notice shall be provided at the time of the denial and, if requested, in an accessible format. The denial notice shall identify the individual requesting the accommodation (or for whom the accommodation is requested), the individual who made the decision, the specific accommodation requested, and the specific reasons for denying the request.

Where the decisionmaker has denied a specific requested accommodation but offered a different one in its place (which was not agreed to during the interactive process), the denial notice should explain both the reasons for the denial of the requested accommodation and the reasons why the decisionmaker believes the offered accommodation will be effective. (If a requester agrees to an alternative accommodation during the interactive process, the request for accommodation will be deemed granted.)

The written notice of denial must inform the individual of the right to challenge the denial by filing a complaint of discrimination under the Board's EEO rules in 12 C.F.R. § 268 and provide instructions on how to file such a complaint by explaining that the individual may initiate the EEO process under the Board's rules by contacting an EEO counselor within 45 days of the denial of the request. The denial notice must also identify procedures that are available for informal dispute resolution but note that participation in an informal dispute resolution does not stay or extend the 45-day deadline for initiating contact with an EEO counselor.

Appeals

A requester who wishes to appeal PSO's decision must appeal to the director of the Division of Management within 10 days of the date of PSO's decision. Individuals may present additional information to support their request. The director will issue a decision on the appeal within 10 days unless they determine that extenuating circumstances exist. An appeal stays the time for an employee to initiate the EEO process by contacting an EEO counselor. Once a decision on the appeal is issued, the period to request EEO counseling begins for the employee who chooses to use that process.

Confidentiality

Under the Rehabilitation Act and GINA, medical information and genetic information obtained in connection with the reasonable-accommodation process must be kept confidential. This means that all medical information, including information about functional limitations and reasonable-accommodation needs, that the Board obtains in connection with a request for reasonable accommodation must be kept in files separate from the individual's personnel file. It also means that any Board employee who obtains or receives such information is bound by these confidentiality requirements.

In addition, all records will be maintained in accordance with the Privacy Act. In certain circumstances, medical information may have to be disclosed to those individuals with a need for the information. For example, information may be disclosed to

  • a supervisor and manager who need to be told about necessary restrictions on the work or duties of the employee and/or necessary accommodations;
  • first aid and safety personnel if the disability might require emergency medical treatment or assistance in vacating the employee's office in the event of an emergency;
  • government officials, if necessary, to investigate the Board's compliance with applicable laws;
  • individuals who need the information in connection with processing a reasonable-accommodation request, a workers' compensation claim, or other insurance benefit;
  • the Board's attorneys, if necessary, to advise the Board on legal issues arising under this policy; and
  • individuals named in a court order or other legal process, if such disclosure is required by a court order or legal process.

Recordkeeping

Employee Life shall be responsible for collecting and storing the following information:

  1. The number of reasonable accommodations, by type, that have been requested and whether those requests have been granted or denied
  2. Jobs (occupational series, grade level, and division) for which reasonable accommodations have been requested
  3. Types of reasonable accommodations that have been requested for each of those jobs
  4. Number of reasonable accommodations, by type, that have been approved, and the number of accommodations, by type, that have been denied
  5. Number of requests for reasonable accommodation, by type, that relate to the benefits or privileges of employment, and whether those requests have been granted or denied
  6. Reasons for denial of requests for reasonable accommodation
  7. Amount of time taken to process each request for reasonable accommodation

The above records, as well as any other records the Board uses to determine whether it is in compliance with these procedures and the nondiscrimination and affirmative action requirements imposed under the Rehabilitation Act, must be retained by the Board and made available to the EEOC upon the EEOC's request.

Responsibility

The Employee Life function of the PSO branch in the Division of Management is responsible for administering this policy. The Division of Management is solely responsible for maintaining all reporting forms, including information on the disposition of requests, and for reviewing information as necessary to ensure compliance with the Rehabilitation Act. This policy will be posted in all Board facilities and on the Board's internal website, and on its publicly available job postings website. Copies of this policy are also available from PSO. This policy is subject to change and will be reviewed and updated as necessary.

Appendix A—Reasonable Accommodation Information Reporting Request Form

Appendix B—Selected Reasonable-Accommodation Resources

  1. U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), 800-669-4000 (voice), 800-669-6820 (TTY), https://www.eeoc.gov

    The EEOC has many free documents on the title I employment provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), including both the statute, 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq., and the regulations, 29 C.F.R. pt. 1630. In addition, the EEOC has published a great deal of basic information about reasonable accommodation and undue hardship. Main sources of interpretive information include (1) the interpretive guidance accompanying the title I regulations (also known as the appendix to the regulations) (29 C.F.R. pt. 1630, appendix and §§ 1630.2(o) and (p) and §1630.9); and (2) the Enforcement Guidance on Reasonable Accommodation and Undue Hardship Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (8 FEP Manual 405:7601 (1999)).

    The EEOC also has discussed issues involving reasonable accommodation in the following guidance and documents:

    • Enforcement Guidance: Pre-Employment Disability-Related Questions and Medical Examinations (5, 6-8, 20, 21-22, 8 FEP Manual (BNA) 405:7191, 7192-94, 7201 (1995))
    • Enforcement Guidance: Workers' Compensation and the ADA (15-20, 8 FEP Manual (BNA) 405:7391, 7398-7401 (1996))
    • Enforcement Guidance: The Americans with Disabilities Act and Psychiatric Disabilities (19-28, 8 FEP Manual (BNA) 405:7461, 7470-76 (1997))
    • Fact Sheet on the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (6-9, 8 FEP Manual (BNA) 405:7371, 7374-76 (1996))
    • Enforcement Guidance: Disability-Related Inquiries and Medical Examinations of Employees Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (20, 22, 23, 24-5, 8 FEP Manual (BNA) 405:7701, 7711, 7712-14, 7715-16 (2000), also available at https://www.eeoc.gov/laws/guidance/enforcement-guidance-disability-related-inquiries-and-medical-examinations-employees)
    • Reasonable Accommodations for Attorneys with Disabilities, available at https://www.eeoc.gov/facts/accommodations-attorneys.html

    Finally, the EEOC has a poster that employers and labor unions may use to fulfill the ADA's posting requirement.

    All of the above-listed documents, with the exception of the technical assistance manual and the poster, are also available through the internet at https://www.eeoc.gov. All of these documents provide guidance that applies to federal agencies through the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. § 791).

  2. Job Accommodation Network (JAN), 800-526-7234 (voice), 877-781-9403 (TTY), https://askjan.org

    A service of the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities, JAN can provide information, free of charge, about many types of reasonable accommodations.

  3. ADA Disability and Business Technical Assistance Centers (DBTACs), 800-949-4232 (voice/TTY), https://adata.org

    The DBTACs consist of 10 federally funded regional centers that provide information, training, and technical assistance on the ADA. Each center works with local business, disability, governmental, rehabilitation, and other professional networks to provide current ADA information and assistance and places special emphasis on meeting the needs of small businesses. The DBTACs can make referrals to local sources of expertise in reasonable accommodations.

  4. Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, (703) 938-0030 (voice), (703) 939-0459 (TTY), https://www.rid.org

    The registry offers information on locating and using interpreters and transliteration services.

  5. RESNA Technical Assistance Project, (703) 524-6686, https://www.resna.org

    RESNA, the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America, can refer individuals to projects in all 50 states and the six territories offering technical assistance on technology-related services for individuals with disabilities. Services may include
    • information and referral centers to help determine what devices may assist a person with a disability (including access to large databases containing information on thousands of commercially available assistive technology products);
    • centers where individuals can try out devices and equipment;
    • assistance in obtaining funding for and repairing devices; and
    • equipment exchange and recycling programs.

1. Only individuals with an actual disability and/or a record of a disability are entitled to reasonable accommodation. Return to text

2. For example, an employee may be able to type more comfortably if they use a certain type of keyboard tray. If practicable, the Board may provide the employee with the requested tray. Return to text

3. Management's decision to provide an informal adjustment does not constitute a determination that the employee is disabled, as defined by the Rehabilitation Act, or that an adjustment or other type of accommodation is legally required. Return to text

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Last Update: May 31, 2023