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Reasonable Accommodations
1. To answer the question as to whether an employee meets the definition of
being a "qualified individual with a disability."
This question u sually presents itself with the supervisor or other
management official asking for more documentation, or medical documentation.
When this occurs, it is usually because there is not an obvious disability
and the Agency is trying to make a determination about whether they are
obligated to make an accommodation. The supervisor and line management on
the unit is NOT the one to make this determination. Instead, the request
should go to the Mission Area Designee for the Region/Station. (See flow
chart and list of designees below.) The FS managers are not supposed to
receive the medical documentation and they are not qualified to evaluate it.
2. To answer the question as to whether the requested accommodation is
"effective."
This again may involve a request for medical documentation about how the
requested accommodation is necessary to allow the employee to perform the
essential functions of their job. There are also times when management
thinks that a less expensive accommodation will be adequate, but the
disabled employee disagrees. In both these instances, it again should be the
MAD who helps resolve the issue.
Bottom line: If employees are being asked intrusive questions about their
medical condition or are being denied the accommodation that they requested, it
should be elevated to the Mission Area Designee. Since most management
officials and supervisors do not know this, we as Union officials need to have
this information on hand and be sure to protect the medical privacy and the
accommodation rights of our bargaining unit employees.
Please share this information with your Union officials and keep it on hand
for future reference.
| Tom Valluzzi Program Manager
for Persons with Disabilities |
USDA Forest Service & Washington Office |
(202) 205-1062/0961/1585 TTY (202)
690-0987
FAX (202) 690-1025
tvalluzzi@fs.fed.us |
| Debra A. Harrell Wilfred Civil
Rights Director,
Southern Region |
R8, R9, SRS, NC, NE/NA, FPL |
(404) 347-1628 FAX (404) 347-0563
dwilfred@fs.fed.us |
| Debby Wivholm Civil Rights
Director,
Northern Region |
R1, R2, R3, R4, RMRS |
(406) 329-3508 TTY (406) 329-3109
FAX (406) 329-3124
dwivholm@fs.fed.us |
| Shared Responsibility of three
Designees above |
R5, R6, R10, PNW, PSW |
See contact information above |
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