Workplace Accommodations

 

Under the Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), employees are entitled to reasonable accommodations, which can be a modification or adjustment to a job, the work environment, or the way things are usually done during the hiring process. Employees of ETSU are urged to contact Disability Services if they require accommodations in the workplace.

These modifications enable an individual with a disability to have an equal opportunity not only to get a job, but successfully perform their job tasks to the same extent as people without disabilities.

The ADA requires reasonable accommodations as they relate to three aspects of employment:

  1.  Ensuring equal opportunity in the application process.
  2.  Enabling a qualified individual with a disability to perform the essential functions of a job.
  3. Making it possible for an employee with a disability to enjoy equal benefits and privileges of employment.

In order to establish accommodation eligibility, the documentation provided must include:

  • Statement of diagnosis, date of most recent evaluation, and when available, date of original diagnosis provided by an impartial professional
  • Description of diagnostic criteria and/or diagnostic tests used
  • Documentation of mental health-related diagnoses should not be more than one year old
  • Documentation of attention deficit disorders should be no more than three years old
  • Documentation of learning disabilities should be no more than five years old with results based on an adult measurement scale

The diagnosing professional must have specific training and expertise in a field related to the type of disability being diagnosed. Documentation not including the information outlined above or from a professional whose credentials are not generally indicative of expertise in the specific disability being diagnosed cannot be used to establish eligibility for services.

Employee Forms