NIEHS and Reasonable Accommodation

What is Reasonable Accommodation?

Reasonable accommodation may be a variety of solutions addressing the needs of an individual to include change of duty time, place, equipment and environment.
Reasonable accommodations are provided to qualified employees and applicants with disabilities.

Requester's Responsibility

Each employee or job applicant must initiate a request. The requests are changes in the work environment or in the way things are customarily done that would enable an individual with a disability to perform the essential functions of the job or enjoy equal benefits of employment.
It is the responsibility of the employee or applicant to provide appropriate medical information related to the functional impairment and requested accommodation where the disability and/or need for accommodation is not obvious.
NIEHS may require that the individual provide reasonable documentation from an appropriate professional, such as a doctor, social worker, or rehabilitation counselor about the disability and his or her functional limitations.

Where to Request?

An oral or written request may be made to the immediate supervisor, manager in the immediate chain of command, Equal Employment Opportunity Office, Human Resources Operations Branch E. If the accommodation requires changes beyond their scope, supervisors will consult with the Chief, Facilities Engineering Branch or Health and Safety Branch as appropriate.

Supervisor's Responsibility

Request medical substantiation when the need for reasonable accommodation is not known, if requester has not previously provided it. NOTE: Medical information should be forwarded directly to the Occupational Health Physician via the Health and Safety Branch.
Supervisor must complete the Confirmation for Reasonable Accommodation Form. Submit this form to EEO, MD A002, or HRMB, MD EC-11. An online PDF version of the form is available for downloading.

Process for Approval/Disapproval

The person receiving the request for accommodation should notify other Institute offices (supervisory chain, EEO, HRMB) of the request. Verbal and written requests are to be processed.
An acknowledgment of the receipt of the oral or written request should be made within three calendar days by the decision-making body or 1st line supervisor.
A response for granting or denying the request should be made within 15 calendar days from the initial request by the appropriate body or 1st line supervisor. The response will include what accommodations will be provided, why they will be provided and how they will be provided.
assist the individual until a decision or the requested accommodation can be made.
The denial for any requested accommodation shall be specified in writing by the 1st line supervisor or appropriates body within 15 calendar days.
If a request is not approved, the ADR Ombudsman process is available within 30 days and the EEO process within 45 days.
If the request is not approved, the written denial must state prompt reconsideration of the denial may be made through use of the discrimination complaint processing program. As an alternative, the Office of Ombudsman may also be used to seek resolution.

Office of Equal Employment Opportunity