Employment Settings

Supervisor Responsibilities

When a supervisor receives a request for reasonable accommodation, he or she should verify the disability and identify the essential functions of the employee's job. Verification of the disability may be done visually if the disability is obvious. If the disability is not obvious, the supervisor may request appropriate medical documentation. All documentation directly related to an employee's disability must be kept in a separate confidential file. The supervisor should then work with the employee to determine an effective, reasonable accommodation. If the employee accepts the accommodation, the supervisor must ensure the employee receives such accommodation. If the accommodation is rejected by the employee, the supervisor must notify the University's ADA Coordinator, who is also the Director of the Office of Equal Opportunity.

Download the supervisor checklist for further assistance on the reasonable accommodation process.

Employee Responsibilities

It is the employee's responsibility to inform his or her supervisor of the need for an accommodation to perform the essential functions of his or her job. Download the employee guideline for further guidance.

  • Employees are encouraged to submit a Reasonable Accommodation Request Form to his or her immediate supervisor. However, verbal notification is sufficient to require the supervisor to take action. If the disability is not obvious, the employee is required to provide documentation from an appropriate source verifying the disability.
  • The employee must assist the supervisor in determining what type of reasonable accommodation the employee should receive, including acceptable alternatives.
  • For detailed information regarding your rights and responsibilities, please refer to University Policy #3110, Reasonable Accommodation for Employees with Disabilities.

ADA Coordinator/OEO Responsibilities

Assists employees and supervisors with requests for accommodations, and reviews all disputes regarding requests for reasonable accommodation.