Procedures for Employees

• Employees who believe they will need a reasonable accommodation to perform their essential job functions should contact IDEAA. The University will also accept a request from a legally authorized family member, health care provider, or other representative who is legally authorized to make such requests on behalf of an individual with a disability.
   
• Employees should complete the Disability Accommodation Request for Employees form and submit it to IDEAA. The form asks for information on the medical condition, the requested accommodation, how the accommodation will assist the individual in performing the essential functions of the job, and the anticipated duration of the requested accommodation. Verbal requests for accommodation are also acceptable. If a supervisor, academic representative or HR representative receives a verbal or written request for accommodation, he or she must contact IDEAA.
   
• IDEAA may require an employee to submit medical documentation from an employee’s doctor or health care provider in support of the request. The Accommodation Request Form also includes a release which, if signed, authorizes IDEAA to contact the health care provider directly and obtain necessary medical information related to the request. If an employee does not sign the release, then it is the responsibility of the employee to obtain the necessary information from the health care provider.
   
• Once an employee has requested an accommodation, the University will engage the employee in a dialogue known as “the interactive process” to determine what accommodation, if any, is appropriate. No specific form of accommodation is guaranteed for all individuals with a particular disability. Rather, an accommodation must be tailored to match the needs of the individual with the disability with the needs of the job’s essential functions.
   
• In some situations, the University may request the employee undergo an Independent Medical Evaluation (IME) at the University’s expense, if the employee and health care provider are unable to provide sufficient medical information in support of the accommodation request. The IME will be limited to determining the existence of a disability and/or the functional limitations that require a reasonable accommodation. When an IME is warranted and the employee fails to participate, it could result in a denial of a reasonable accommodation.
   
• As part of the interactive process, IDEAA may contact the appropriate departmental official for the purposes of discussing possible accommodations. No medical information is shared or released to the department. Medical information is confidentially housed within IDEAA and is not to be included in employment/departmental files. Limited information may be shared with managers if necessary in order to arrange for necessary accommodations, but only with the knowledge and agreement of the individual requesting the accommodation.
   
• Once an accommodation has been deemed appropriate and reasonable, both the employee and the departmental representative are notified and an accommodation work plan is implemented for the duration specified. The work plan is monitored by IDEAA and reviewed on occasion to ensure the accommodation enables the employee to complete the necessary work tasks and to ensure effectiveness.
   
• If an accommodation is deemed appropriate and reasonable for an employee, then the department bears the responsibility for funding the accommodation.
   
• Modifications to the work plan can be made if the health conditions change and/or the nature of the work performance/duties changes.
   
• IDEAA must be contacted to re-engage the interactive process.
   
• If no reasonable accommodation can be made, the employee is notified in writing.

To make a request for a reasonable accommodation, please complete the following Disability Accommodation Request for Employees form and submit it to IDEAA.