University Human Resources

Employee Accommodation Services

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Employee Accommodation Services

Brown University is committed to diversity, inclusion and nondiscrimination, and supports the employment of qualified individuals with disabilities. When needed, reasonable accommodations may be provided to employees so that they may perform the essential job duties of the position.

All reasonable accommodation requests are administered under the guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA). 

A reasonable accommodation is any modification or adjustment to a job or work environment that enables a person with a disability to successfully perform the essential functions of a job or to enjoy benefits and privileges of employment equal to those enjoyed by staff without disabilities. Examples of workplace accommodations may include, but are not limited to:

  • Acquiring or modifying equipment
  • Modified work schedule
  • Job restructuring
  • Leave of absence

The evaluation of reasonable accommodation requests is a collaborative and interactive process. The interactive discussion will include all relevant parties such as the employee, the University Human Resources Office of Leave and Accommodations, the employee’s manager/department head, the Human Resource Business Partner, and/or other subject matter experts. Determinations regarding what constitutes a reasonable accommodation are made on an individualized basis. 

Employment Accommodations for Persons with Disabilities Policy

Request a Reasonable Accommodation

Applicants can request a reasonable accommodation by contacting University Human Resources Recruitment at employment@brown.edu.

UHR Leave and Accommodations Inquiry Form 

You can submit a general inquiry or sign up for a 20 to 30-minute consultation session during the virtual office hours offered every Tuesday and Thursday using the inquiry form.

Request Process

Employee initiates a request to UHR

 
  • Online Form
  • RTW Process
  • Email
  • Zoom Office Hours

UHR confirms request

 

Employee, Manager and HR will receive notification to the pending request along with process instructions.

Documentation

 

Employee, Manager, HR and UHR will engage in interactive discussions to determine reasonable accommodations.

Interactive discussions

 

Reasonable accommodation determination

 

UHR will communicate the approved reasonable accommodation plan.

30-day follow-up

 

UHR will follow up with all parties to review the effectiveness of the approved accommodations within 30 days or as needed.

Appeals

 

For any accommodation denied or partially approved, the employee can file an appeal request with the ADA 504 Coordinator.

What to Expect

  • You will receive a confirmation notice within 24-48 hours of a reasonable accommodation request submission.
  • ​Instructions regarding the next steps will be communicated to the employee requesting accommodations, the related HR Business Partner, and the employee’s Manager and/or department head within 5 business days.
  • Sufficient medical documentation to support the accommodation request is due within 15 days if requested by the UHR Office of Leave and Accommodation.
  • ​The accommodation determination will be communicated within 30 days of the accommodation request. Additional time may be provided, if necessary, to obtain sufficient supporting documentation. The request for additional time must be communicated to all involved parties.
  • Medical information and other sensitive documentation will be handled confidentially by the UHR Office of Leaves and Accommodations. HR Business Partners and the employee’s manager will be copied on request status notifications on a need-to-know basis.

Voluntary Self-Identification of Disability

Employees have the option to update their profile on Workday to disclose if they have a disability. Self-identification of a disability is a separate process from requesting workplace accommodations. If you require a reasonable accommodation, please follow the designated procedure described on this website. Updating the Self-Identification of Disability profile will not initiate the accommodation process.  

For more information on self-identification, relevant laws, or to access the form, please visit the U.S. Department of Labor's Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) website. This form can also be viewed on the U.S. Department of Labor website, for reference.

Workday Instructions

In the Workday search bar enter Change Self-Identification of Disability to access the task to change your status.  

Roles and Responsibilities of Involved Parties

  • If notified you may be required to submit supporting medical documentation with a signed authorization to release health information within 15 business days from the request date.
  • Your active engagement and participation is required during the interactive process. The interactive process includes: 
    • Meeting virtually or in-person
    • Responding to all email inquiries 
    • Providing sufficient documentation in a timely manner
  • Provide Current Job Description Document
  • Identify the essential function of the job 
  • Engage in the interactive process to support the determination of the approved accommodation
  • Provide feedback to evaluate the effectiveness of the accommodation
  • Oversee the full accommodation review and approval process
  • Request, receive, and review all medical documentation meant to support an accommodation request
  • Determine whether it falls within the scope of any federal or state regulations such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Pregnancy Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), specific State Leave and Disability laws, or Religious Accommodations 
  • Gathers and identifies potential accommodation solutions
  • Coordinates interactive discussions with all stakeholders
  • Negotiates and communicates the approved accommodation
  • Follow up with all stakeholders to evaluate the effectiveness of the approved accommodation

Medical Information

Under the ADA, employers must limit the scope of a medical inquiry in response to an accommodation request. When the disability or need for accommodation is not obvious, an employer may require that the employee provide medical documentation to establish that the employee has an ADA disability, to show that the employee needs the requested accommodation, and to help determine effective accommodation options. Although the ADA limits the scope of medical requests, Brown uses an ADA Medical Accommodation Questionnaire; however, other medical documentation can be accepted.

All medical information is kept in a file separate from the employee’s personnel file with restricted access to authorized personnel. On a need to know basis, the medical limitations may be shared with your manager and/or human resource partner to implement the reasonable accommodation.