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Accommodations may be available for employees with disabilities

  • Published
  • By Stacey Geiger
  • 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio – Federal government employees with a disability may be able to receive reasonable accommodations to help assist with their job duties.

The American Disabilities Act mandates employers to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities. Generally, an accommodation is any change in the work environment or in the way things are customarily done that enables an individual with a disability to enjoy equal employment opportunities.

Under the ADA, employers are required to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified employees with disabilities unless doing so would pose an undue hardship to the mission.

Examples of accommodations include:

  • Making existing facilities usable by disabled employees—for example, modifying the height of desks and equipment, installing computer screen magnifiers, or installing telecommunications for the deaf.
  • Restructuring jobs schedules—for example, allowing a ten-hour/four-day workweek so that an employee can receive weekly medical treatments.
  • Modifying exams and training material—for example, allowing more time for taking an exam or allowing the exam to be taken orally instead of in writing.
  • Hiring readers or interpreters to assist an employee.

To request accommodations, employees must provide proof of disability documentation certified by a licensed medical professional, licensed vocational rehabilitation specialist or any Federal or State agency that issues or provides disability benefits along with a reasonable accommodation request form.

Affirmative Employment Program Office Disability Program Manager Alakya Spears, manages accommodation requests to ensure compliance, proper tracking and facilitation of the requests.

“Once an employee initiates the request with their supervisor and completes the reasonable accommodation request form, the supervisor will seek assistance from the AEP office,” said Spears. “The AEP office will then advise both parties on the Air Force Instructions based on that particular circumstance.”

To request accommodations or ask additional questions, contact Spears at (937) 904-3337 or alakya.mathankeri-spears@us.af.mil.

For more information on Federal Government disability employment, go to the Office of Personnel Management website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/disability-employment/