documentation or where there are extenuating …

1 If you are an employee bidding documentation or where there are extenuating circumstances, or applying for a job and need your manager or the examination administration office will Reasonable accommodation for the job desired or in some component of the selection notify you of the reason for any delay and the approximate date on which you can expect a decision. accommodation process ( , application completion, in the What Else Should I Know? interview, training), you must make your Postal Service needs known to one of the following: At the Postal Service's expense, a medical expert of the The examiner. Postal Service's choosing may review A Guide for Employees The local manager, Human Resources. your medical documentation .

2 In all cases, and Applicants the Postal Service will keep your medical As stated in the instructions provided on the job records confidential. Publication 316. announcement. April 2017. What Happens If My Request Is Request an accommodation early enough to allow for a timely Denied? decision. The Postal Service will notify you in writing What Happens After My Request Is Made? of the reason for the denial and the name Your request for reasonable accommodation will activate of the person or the office that made the an interactive process to determine whether you are a decision. Further, the Postal Service will qualified individual with a disability who meets the minimum advise you of your right to do the following: qualifications.

3 You are involved in the interactive process, Participate in any informal dispute resolution processes, during which the following occurs: File an EEO complaint, and The Postal Service identifies essential functions of your job Appeal or avail yourself of other rights to which you may be or the job for which you applied. entitled. You and the Postal Service consider your abilities and limitations. where Can I Get Additional Information About You and the Postal Service identify potential Reasonable accommodation ? accommodations and their feasibility. The Postal Service intends this material as a general reference The for information purposes. For detailed information, see Postal Service determines the reasonableness of the Handbook EL-307, Reasonable accommodation , An Interactive accommodations.

4 Process, available in the following formats: In addition, the Postal Service considers the following: Hard copy from your Human Resources Office and the Whether the accommodation would pose an undue Material Distribution Center. hardship to the Postal Service. Onlineon the Postal Service's intranet (PolicyNet at blue. Whether the accommodation would eliminate or reduce any ) and Internet ( ). direct threat of harm to you or others. The Postal Service is committed to building and maintaining When Will I Receive a Decision? an effective, diverse, and motivated workforce a goal reinforced in the Postal Service's strategic plan. While expedited processing may be necessary to enable an individual to apply for a job or to participate in a specific activity scheduled to occur shortly, you will receive a decision from your manager or the examination Publication 316, April 2017.

5 Administration office as soon as PSN 7690-07-000-7707. possible after the conclusion of the interactive process. In cases where the Postal Service Postal Service requires substantiating Cover Illustration Jose Ortega/SIS. T. he Rehabilitation Act of 1973 applies Any mental or psychological disorder, such as an intellectual If you are applying for Postal Service to the Postal Service . The Act does disability, organic brain syndrome, emotional or mental illness, employment, make your request to one of the the following: and specific learning disabilities. following: Prohibits discrimination based on a The examiner. What Is a Major Life Activity? disability against qualified employees and The selecting official.

6 Job applicants. A major life activity includes, but is not limited to, the following: The local manager, Human Resources. Imposes Obvious functions such as hearing, seeing, walking, speaking, an obligation on the Postal Service to find ways to accommodate qualified individuals with caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, breathing, eating, Explain the nature of your limitations and the accommodation you disabilities where appropriate. sleeping, standing, reading, working, lifting, and communicating. need. Someone else can make this request on your behalf. The operation of a major bodily function such as, but not limited The Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) of If you are an employee who is deaf or hard of hearing and require to, functions of the immune, digestive, neurological, circulatory, communication accommodations, you must submit your request for 2008 amended the Rehabilitation Act so that it conforms to the lymphatic and musculoskeletal systems; and normal cell growth.

7 The accommodation to one of the following: ADAAA changes. When Does an Impairment Substantially Limit a Your supervisor or manager. Who Is Eligible for Protection Under the Major Life Activity? The manager, Human Resources (District). Rehabilitation Act? The substantially limits standard is not a The RAC Chair. For the Act to protect a person, the individual must be qualified to demanding one. An impairment need not The District Disability Coordinator. perform the job and show that he or she is a person who meets prevent, or significantly or severely restrict, one of the following conditions: If you are an applicant who is deaf or hard of hearing and require the individual from performing a major life Has a disability; activity.

8 The Postal Service must determine communication accommodations, you must follow the instructions Has a record of a disability; whether an impairment limits substantially in the job announcement. Is associated with a person with a disability; or a major life activity without regard to the ameliorative effects of mitigating measures (with the exception of ordinary eyeglasses or What Are My Responsibilities? Is regarded as having a disability. contact lenses). An impairment that is episodic or in remission is If your disability is not obvious or already known, the Postal Service a disability if it would substantially limit a major life activity when may require you to provide documentation from an appropriate Who Is a Qualified Person With a Disability?

9 Active. professional. The documentation must do the following: A qualified person with a disability is someone who meets the following conditions: What is the Goal of Reasonable accommodation ? a. Explain clearly the nature, impact, or both of the impairment;. a. Has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a The goal of reasonable accommodation is to enable individuals b. Explain the need for reasonable accommodation ; and major life activity. with disabilities to enjoy equal employment opportunity. The Postal c. Clarify how the requested accommodation may help you to Service requires the same performance standards and conduct of b. Meets the prerequisites ( , skills, experience, education, and perform the essential functions of the job.)

10 Employees with disabilities as it does of other employees. other requirements) for the job the individual holds or desires. If your documentation is insufficient, the Postal Service may require Does Every Individual With a Disability Require an supplemental medical information, including, where appropriate, c. Can perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodation . accommodation ? examination by a medical specialist of the Postal Service's No. Many qualified individuals with disabilities are able to advance choosing and at the Postal Service's expense. What Is a Physical or Mental Impairment? through the selection process and perform their jobs without any As a job applicant, if you believe that a mental or physical A physical or mental impairment can include any of the following: accommodation .