Workplace Accommodations

The Interactive Process

An employee who seeks an accommodation in order to perform the essential functions of the job may initiate the interactive workplace accommodations process by making a verbal or written request to any one of the following: their immediate supervisor or the Workplace Accommodations Coordinator.

The Workplace Accommodations Coordinator is available to meet with any employee who plans to request an accommodation, in order to assist the employee to explore accommodation options.

Before the Workplace Accommodations Coordinator acts on an accommodation request, the employee must provide a written request for an accommodation.  Additionally, documentation may be required in order to determine what accommodations are reasonable and how to best accommodate the workplace needs of the employee.

For disability and pregnancy accommodations, the documentation submitted by a Texas State employee should be from a medical provider or professional qualified to diagnose and manage the condition for which accommodations are being requested. It is the responsibility of the employee to make their workplace accommodations needs known to Texas State in a timely manner. Failure to do so may delay the requested accommodation.

All requests for workplace accommodations are reviewed on a case by case bases and the documentation guidelines are implemented at the discretion of the Workplace Accommodations Coordinator.

Workplace Accommodations Policy 

  • A reasonable accommodation is any change to the application or hiring process, to the job, to the way the job is done, or the work environment that allows a person with a disability who is qualified for the job to perform the essential functions of that job and enjoy equal employment opportunities. Accommodations are considered “reasonable” if they do not create an undue hardship or a direct threat.

  • The ADA coordinator will review the documents with the Workplace Accommodation Interactive Team to determine appropriate accommodations.

    This is a case-by-case process, there is no "one size fits all" approach to providing reasonable accommodations under Title I of the ADA.

    For more information, please refer to UPPS 04.04.60.

  • Employees with disabilities who may require accommodations should follow the procedures outlined in this policy. It is the responsibility of the employee to make their needs known to Texas State in a timely manner. Failure to do so may delay the requested accommodation.

    The ADA Compliance coordinator is available to meet with any employee with a disability who plans to make a request for accommodations in order to assist the employee to explore accommodation options.

    In order to evaluate the appropriateness of an accommodation request, the ADA  Compliance Coordinator may require documentation of disability in the event that the disability is not easily perceivable.

    Please contact ADACoordinator@txstate.edu

    For more information, please refer to UPPS 04.04.60 or visit the ADA Compliance Coordinator's webpage.

  • A student must provide documentation of their disability. Within 30 days of the Office of Disability Services receiving a student’s disability documentation, the information will be reviewed to determine accommodations. After the student is qualified, an appointment will be set up between the student and a specialist from the Office of Disability Services. Please remember that eligibility for the approved accommodations will not be effective until the ODS specialist and student meet to discuss and review the approved accommodations.

    An incoming student should not assume that the accommodations they received in high school will be provided at Texas State.

  • No. A veteran must meet the ADA’s definition of disability.

    The ADA defines an “individual with a disability” as a person who:

    a. has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities;

    b. has a record of such an impairment; or

    c. is regarded as having such an impairment.

    This definition of disability may differ from the definition used in other laws. For example, the term “disabled veteran” means an individual who has served on active duty in the armed forces, was honorably discharged, and has a service-connected disability, or is receiving compensation, disability retirement benefits, or pension because of a public statute administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs or a military department. (See 5 U.S.C. § 2108.) Nevertheless, many veterans who were wounded or became ill while on active duty meet both the definition of “disabled veteran” and the ADA’s definition of “individual with a disability.”

    Under the ADA, an individual with a disability also must be qualified for the job the individual has or wants. To be qualified, an individual with a disability must meet the employer’s requirements for the job (such as education, training, skills or licenses) and must be able to perform the job’s essential or fundamental duties, with or without reasonable accommodation.

    If you are a veteran in need of disability accommodations, please contact the Office of Disability Services, Suite 5-5.1, LBJ Student Center, 512.245.3451, ods@txstate.edu.

    Source: eeoc.gov