The university has an affirmative duty to provide reasonable workplace accommodations to individuals with disabilities. Workplace accommodations are any change in the work environment or in the way things are customarily done that enables an employee with a disability to overcome the physical or mental limitations caused by their medical condition so that they are able to perform the essential functions of their position.
The Office of Human Resources (HR) is responsible for administering the university’s interactive disability accommodation process. At the outset, employees interested in requesting workplace accommodation(s) are asked to complete an Accommodation Request Form online or submit a PDF form to WorkplaceADA@uoregon.edu. Your supervisor or unit HR partner can help you print the PDF request form if needed.
In most circumstances, university employees will be asked to meet with HR and discuss the circumstances surrounding their need and request for accommodation. HR recognizes that some employees may be reluctant to disclose the existence of a medical condition or to request an accommodation. Employees are welcome to bring one support person with them to any meeting with the HR regarding their need for accommodation. University employees are also reminded that requesting a workplace accommodation is protected under the law and retaliation for engaging in protected activity is unlawful and will not be tolerated by the university. Concerns about discrimination or retaliation should be reported to the Office of Investigations and Civil Rights Compliance (OICRC) through the Discrimination, Harassment, Bias, and Retaliation Reporting Form here, or by email at oicrc@uoregon.edu.
Explore the accommodation process through these two questions generally asked:
- Is the employee’s medical condition a disability?
- What reasonable workplace accommodations would enable the employee to overcome the limitations caused by their disability?
Refer to the Disability Accommodation Process Guide for helpful information regarding the process for university employees to request workplace accommodations and other related considerations:
Disability Accommodation Process Guide