Cracking the Code: All You Need to Know about ADA
As NOVA continues to implement plans for transitioning back to work, the College will continue to comply with CDC, VDH, OSHA, DHRM, and ADA guidelines and requirements. This guidance provides the NOVA community with all there is to know about accommodations in compliance with ADA.
What are reasonable accommodations?
A reasonable accommodation is any change in the work environment (or in the way things are usually done) to help a person with a disability to participate in the job application process, perform the duties of a job or to enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment equal to those enjoyed by staff without disabilities. For example, a reasonable accommodation may include, but is not limited to:
- Acquiring or modifying equipment or devices
- Adjustment to physical space
- Modified work schedules
- Removing readily achievable barriers
Who is eligible for a reasonable accommodation?
- A qualified employee with a disability is eligible for a reasonable accommodation.
- A qualified employee is a person who, with or without reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of the job he or she holds or is applying for.
- A disability means a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.
How do you apply for a reasonable accommodation?
If you are eligible and wish to apply for an accommodation, you must:
- Contact ADA@nvcc.edu.
- Complete the Accommodation Request form (Form 105-192).
- Submit the Medical Professional’s Documentation of Disability (Form 105-194).
- Participate in the interactive process with the ADA Coordinator and your supervisor.
What if you are not eligible for a reasonable accommodation?
If you are not eligible for an accommodation but need to take time off to care for a qualifying family member you may qualify for leave through the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA). To apply for FMLA, contact benefits@nvcc.edu.
Examples of situations that do not qualify for an accommodation:
- Employees seeking an accommodation for their spouse, children or other individuals with disabilities/medical conditions
- Employees seeking an accommodation for a protected class unrelated to a medical condition in accordance to EEOC guidelines for protected categories
- Employees seeking an accommodation for non-medical related concerns for not returning to the workplace
- Absent a Medical Professional’s Documentation of Disability, an accommodation will not be considered
Additional Resource:
EEOC: What You Should Know About COVID-19 and the ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and other EEO Laws
Submitted by:
Charlotte Calobrisi, AVP HR, CCalobrisi@nvcc.edu