Human Resources

Reasonable accommodation

Kittitas County is committed to complying fully with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and ensuring equal opportunity in employment for qualified persons with disabilities. All employment practices and activities are conducted on a non-discriminatory basis.

"Reasonable accommodation" means modification or adjustment to a job, work environment, work process, employment policies, training, benefits, employer sponsored activities, or the pre-employment process that does not impose an undue hardship on the department's operation and that enables a:

  1. Person with a disability to enjoy an equal employment opportunity; or
  2. Person with a disability to perform the essential job functions.

"Person with a disability" means a person:

  1. With a physical, mental or sensory impairment that substantially limits the person in some major life activity, e.g., breathing, walking, and talking; or
  2. With a record of such a physical, mental or sensory impairment; or
  3. Who is regarded as having such a physical, mental or sensory impairment.

"Selected candidate" means that person whom management, following the necessary and required recruitment and selection process, has extended a conditional offer of employment.

"Undue hardship" means, as defined by Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), unduly costly, extensive, substantial, or disruptive, or that would fundamentally alter the nature or operation of the business; and as also defined in Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Accommodation

Kittitas County will provide reasonable accommodation for persons of disability and ensure against discrimination because of a person's disability. Kittitas County encourages candidates and employees with disabilities to request accommodations, when needed, for testing; recruitment; the interview process; or to enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment.

The County shall provide reasonable accommodations for candidates and employees with a disability so they may enjoy the benefits, rights, and privileges of equal employment opportunities afforded to other candidates and employees consistent with applicable laws and regulations governing county employees.

The need for a reasonable accommodation shall not adversely affect a person's consideration for employment or opportunity to enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment.

Equal access to benefits and privileges in employment shall be provided to persons with disabilities. This applies to work stations, training and training facilities, employer sponsored activities, information exchange, as well as normal support facilities.

Kittitas County shall include information on reasonable accommodation in the Employee Orientation Program and in training as appropriate.

Upon determining that a reasonable accommodation may be necessary, Human Resource Department staff shall consult with the candidate or employee.

When an employee cannot be accommodated in the employee's current position and a vacant position exists elsewhere, the Department Head/Elected Official shall consider, on a priority basis, the employee:

  1. Who is qualified for the vacant position, and
  2. For whom a transfer or demotion is a reasonable accommodation.

The County will not be able to make an accommodation that would impose an undue hardship on the operation of the business. Each accommodation request will be handled on a case-by-case basis, and every effort will be made to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

In recruitment, testing, or interviewing, the department shall take reasonable steps to accommodate the known disability of a candidate.

Making Request for Accommodation

Consult the ADA Coordinator (Human Resources Director) concerning the accommodation of applicants/selected candidates and for employee accommodations.

The Coordinator shall retain a copy of the request and route the form to the Department Head/Elected Official responsible for the activity or event for which the request is made. The Department Head/Elected Official will make every effort to provide reasonable accommodation. Upon resolution, the Department Head/Elected Official will note on the form when and how the accommodation was fulfilled. The form will then be initialized and returned to the ADA Coordinator, who will notify the individual requesting accommodation.

If, in the opinion of the Department Head/Elected Official, the request cannot be fulfilled, the ADA Coordinator will be advised and alternatives considered.

Determine the reasonableness of accommodation on a case by case basis. To help determine if an accommodation is reasonable, the following will be considered:

  1. The nature and cost of the accommodation needed;
  2. The financial resources of the county, the number of employees at the facility, and the effect on facility expenses and resources;
  3. The impact of the accommodation on the operation of the facility that is making the accommodation.

Staff involved in processing reasonable accommodation shall:

  1. Ensure the person with a disability is appropriately involved and apprised of developments during the process; and
  2. Shall document efforts to reasonably accommodate the person.

A person seeking a reasonable accommodation shall cooperate and assist management in obtaining the necessary documentation, which may include signing a release of information for purposes of corresponding with attending physician/licensed mental health professional.