Reasonable Accommodation and Personal Assistance Service Procedures

Reasonable Accommodation and Personal Assistance Service Procedures

DOE provides reasonable accommodation and personal assistance services to qualified individuals with disabilities who are employees or applicants for employment.

Office of the Chief Human Capital Officer

Employees or applicants may request Reasonable Accommodation (RA) for assistance when applying or interviewing for a job, performing the essential functions of a job, or ensuring equal access to the benefits and privileges of employment, due to their medical condition or to exercise their religious beliefs.

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendment Act (ADAAA), DOE is committed to providing RA services to qualified employees and applicants with disabilities and providing religious accommodation, consistent with applicable laws, Executive Orders, and regulations.

Personal Assistance Services (PAS) is assistance with performing activities of daily living that an individual would typically perform if they did not have a disability. Requests for PAS may be made either in writing or orally at any time by an employee with a targeted disability. Requests for RA can be submitted to the employee's supervisor, Local Reasonable Accommodation Coordinator (LRAC), Human Capital office, or contact identified in a vacancy announcement. To find your LRAC, refer to the list of Reasonable Accommodation Contacts. Additionally, employees with targeted disabilities can contact their supervisor, manager, and LRAC to request a PAS.

Examples of Reasonable Accommodations for Employees

The accommodations provided to employees are decided on a case-by-case basis. Below are examples of reasonable accommodations.

• Technology - larger or specialized computer monitor, screen magnification software, voice activation software, screen-reading software;
• Worksite - providing physical accessibility, such as: installing doors that automatically open and close, lowering the paper towel dispenser in an employee restroom, or adjusting the lighting at an employee's workstation;
• Tour of Duty/Leave Administration - Telework; Modified work schedules; advanced leave or leave without pay; and
• Performance - Modifying supervisory methods such as communicating in writing rather than orally, Sign language interpreters, job coaching;, travel-related accommodations, and Reassignment as an Accommodation of Last Resort.

Reasonable accommodations cannot be provided to facilitate care for family members with disabilities. The applicant or employee must be the person with the disability for reasonable accommodation to apply.

Examples of Reasonable Accommodations for Applicants

The accommodations provided to applicants are decided on a case-by-case basis. Below are examples of potential reasonable accommodations:

• Readers and sign language interpreters; and,
• Accessible locations for recruitment, interviews, testing, and other components of the application process.

Examples of Personal Assistance Services (PAS)

Activities which may require PAS include, but are not limited to:

• Removing and putting on clothing;
• Eating;
• Using the restroom;
• Getting in and out of a vehicle at the worksite; and,
• Moving around the building.

Personal Assistance Services do not include performing medical procedures or monitoring, such as administering injections, monitoring blood pressure, or helping an individual with a targeted disability perform job-related tasks.

All aspects of the RA and PAS processes must be kept confidential. This includes the initial request, the decision, disability, and any medical information that is obtained during the process. The act of requesting an accommodation is considered a protected activity and should not be disclosed except to those with a need to know.

Policy Memorandum (PM) #100C, Reasonable Accommodation outlines the Department's process, timeframes, and expectations for responding to requests for RA.

To request a copy of PM #100C in Braille or large print, please contact us at [email protected].