Workplace Accommodations
In accordance with the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), San Francisco Community College District will engage in the interactive process with qualified employees with disabilities to determine if they can perform the essential functions of their jobs with or without reasonable accommodations.
The interactive process is a discussion between the employee and the district/college to determine reasonable accommodations. This process may include the employee’s supervisor(s) and the employee’s health care provider, or other relevant parties. The district/college ultimately determines if an accommodation is reasonable.
The employer may request additional information (Supplemental Medical Questionnaire) from the employee’s medical provider to determine if the individual’s medical condition constitutes a disability and/or to verify/understand the need for accommodation and the how a specific accommodation(s) will eliminate/minimize the problem, and to provide possible alternative accommodations.
A person with a disability is an individual who:
- has a physical or mental impairment that limits a major life activity; or
- has a record of such an impairment which is known to the employer; or
- is regarded by the employer as having, or having had, such an impairment; or
- is regarded by the employer as having, or having had, a disorder or condition that has no present disabled effect, but that may become a disability.
- major life activities include seeing, hearing, breathing, walking, speaking, learning, working, caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, lifting, and other physical, mental and social activities, etc.
The FEHA and ADA define a qualified employee as a person who:
- Satisfies the requisite skill, experience, education, and other job-related requirements of their current job
- Can perform the essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodations
For existing employees, reasonable accommodations may include any of the following:
- Sick leave
- Unpaid additional leave
- Modifications or adjustments to the work environment that enable a qualified individual with a disability to perform the essential functions of the position
- Modifications or adjustments that enable an employee with a disability to enjoy equal benefits and privileges of employment as are enjoyed by other similarly situated employees without disabilities
- Leave of Absence
- Part-time or modified work schedules
- Modifying equipment or devices
Examples of unreasonable accommodations include:
- Promoting an employee to a position for which they are not qualified
- Lowering quality or quantity standards
- Providing personal use items like glasses and hearing aids
- Creating a new position for an employee
The interactive process simply means that employers and employees who request reasonable workplace accommodations work together to come up with possible accommodation solutions. "It is intended as a good faith interaction between the parties – a back and forth of questions and information sharing relating to the limitations and capabilities of the requestor, the needs and constraints of the employer, and the range of possibilities to make it all work." (U.S. Department of the Interior)
General overview of the IP process for reasonable accommodation under the ADA at CCSF (hover over the upper-right corner to "pop-out" the image):
To request reasonable accommodations pursuant to the ADA, thoroughly complete this form:
EMPLOYEE REQUEST FORM FOR ADA ACCOMMODATION (form last updated: 3/2024)
You will be asked to upload the following required supplemental documentation on your request form:
If you would like to request to bring a service animal or emotional support animal while on District property, first step is to complete and submit an ADA reasonable accommodation form detailing your request, and will require a certification from your medical provider. The request form's link is provided in the section above.
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