Skip to main content

Accommodating Disabilities

< Return to Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action

Boise State University is committed to compliance with federal and state laws and regulations prohibiting discrimination on the basis of disability.

The disability accommodation process is interactive and requires cooperation and communication between the individual requesting accommodation and the University staff members who respond to the request. Employees and appointees actively participate in the accommodation process by communicating their needs and interests and attending any meetings that may be necessary to discuss the accommodation request.

The accommodation process is designed to help the employee with disabilities remain in his or her current position, with or without accommodation. Generally, the employee will first make the request to his or her supervisor. The employee is not required, however, to disclose to the immediate supervisor the medical basis for a requested accommodation (see confidentiality of medical information below). If the employee chooses not to make the request directly to the supervisor, or has questions about the accommodation process he or she should contact the EEO/Affirmative Action Office at Ext. 1979.

Confidentiality of Medical Information

By law, medical information must be maintained confidentially and apart from regular personnel records and is kept in a separate file maintained by HRS Benefits. However, when medical information is requested as part of the accommodation process, the information will be maintained in a confidential file located in the EEO/Affirmative Action Office.

An employee is not required to reveal the diagnosis of his or her condition or the details of medical treatment to the supervisor or coworkers.

Making an Accommodation Request

Boise State has an established procedure for requesting accommodations for individuals with disabilities. Follow this link for the step-by-step instructions and for the form used in submitting the request.

Accommodation Request Procedure

Responding to the Accommodation Request

If the University determines that it is not possible to accommodate the employee in his or her current position and the employee can work at least half time, efforts will be made to place the employee in a current vacant position. Three conditions must be met:

  1. The position must have a comparable or lower salary range or grade as the current position;
  2. The employee must meet the minimum qualifications and special requirements of the position; and
  3. The employee must be able to perform the position’s essential functions with or without accommodation.

For some illnesses or injuries, the health care provider cannot initially determine how long the employee will be away from work or when duties can be resumed. In these cases, a leave of absence may be the only accommodation that is recommended or available. It may also be necessary for the employee to be placed on a leave of absence during the University’s evaluation of the accommodation request.

The Family and Medical Leave Act may cover absences for serious health conditions. These circumstances will be reviewed and coordinated with the Benefits department. Any accommodations will be reviewed on a periodic basis to determine on-going relevancy. To view Boise State’s FMLA policy, go to: Family and Medical Leave (Policy 7230)

Complaint Process

The University has a process to resolve complaints alleging discrimination on the basis of disability, including failure to accommodate a disability. The process is described in the Nondiscrimination and Affirmative Action Policy. Employees may file a formal complaint under the policy. They also have the right to file a complaint with a federal or state enforcement agency. To learn about the Boise State Complaint Process, go to the link below and scroll down to Grievance Procedure at Point O: Boise State University Policy #1060 Non-discrimination and Anti-harassment

References

Forms

The questionnaire is the Job Analysis Form. Scroll down several pages to get to the questionnaire itself.

Back To Top