Americans with Disabilities Act

Overview

Sonoma State University seeks to assist applicants and employees with disabilities by providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals in order to support performing the essential functions of the position fully and safely. Applicants and employees are to work with their Health Care Provider to clarify the accommodation request so that additional conversation can continue as part of a Good Faith Interactive Process. Please note: a Health Care Provider may include (1) a medical or osteopathic doctor, physician, or surgeon, licensed in CA or in another state or country, who directly treats or supervises the treatment of the applicant or employee; (2) a marriage and family therapist or acupuncturist, licensed in CA or in another state or country, or any other persons who meet the definition of "others capable of providing health care services" under FMLA and its implementing regulations, including podiatrists, dentists, nurse midwives, clinical social workers, physician assistants; (3) a chiropractor, but only as a health care provider limited to treatment consisting of manual manipulation of the spine to correct a subluxation as demonstrated by X-ray to exist.

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA), Sonoma State University is essentially required by law to do the following: provide a reasonable accommodation for applicants and employees who, because of their disability are limited in or unable to perform one or more of the essential functions of their job AND engage in a timely Good Faith Interactive Process with applicants and employees in need of reasonable accommodation.

Involvement of ADA Specialist

The ADA Specialist assists in evaluating accommodation requests, ensuring that all necessary documentation is received, and facilitates the conversation between the employee and appropriate administrator to determine what, if any, reasonable accommodations can be made.

Required Forms

To assist in processing requests for accommodation, the ADA Specialist utilizes the Accommodation Request Form. In order to clarify the request for a reasonable accommodation, the ADA Specialist will provide a Supplemental Medical Questionnaire tailored toward the requested accommodation and Position Description for the treating health care provider to review and complete. Additional clarification from the health care provider may be requested in order to fully understand the applicant/employee's limitations and explore a reasonable accommodation in order to perform the essential functions of the job safely and fully.

Interactive Process

The Good Faith Interactive Process is required whenever an accommodation is requested. Throughout the interactive process, essential functions of the position and the Supplemental Medical Questionnaire will be reviewed. An ongoing dialogue will be promoted between the ADA Specialist, employee/applicant, and their appropriate administrator in order to explore any and all reasonable accommodations in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and California's Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). An accommodation is deemed reasonable under the law if it will support the employee or applicant in performing the essential functions of the position, if it does not impose a significant difficulty or expense on the employer, and it does not create a direct threat of harm or danger to the individual or others. 

An employee or applicant may identify the specific accommodation(s) they would like to be considered. In general, a reasonable accommodation is one that is rationally related to the limitation and, thus, effectively enables an employee to perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may include, but are not limited to: 

• Modified equipment
• Assistive devices
• Workstation modification
• Job restructuring
• Modified work schedule
• Leave of absence

The interactive process is used to determine what, if any, reasonable accommodation can be made.

Additional Resources

Job Accommodation Network (JAN) 

https://askjan.org/

Sonoma State University ADA Coordination

The following individuals and departments provide ADA coordination in their specific areas, and may be contacted regarding ADA questions or concerns.

Students

Disability Services for Students
disability.services@sonoma.edu
(707) 664-2677 (dial 711 for Relay)

https://dss.sonoma.edu/