Request Guidelines
Consistent with the federal Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA), the University of North Carolina System Office (System Office) provides reasonable accommodations to qualified employees with disabilities, as well as visitors and program participants. The System Office Human Resources Division (HR) is charged with determining reasonable accommodations under the ADA and with facilitating the provision of those accommodations.
Having a medical condition alone may not be sufficient to make someone eligible for accommodations under the ADA. Under the ADA, an individual with a disability who may be eligible for accommodations is someone with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities or someone who has a record of such an impairment. Substantially limited in performing a major life activity means limited as compared to most people in the general population. Under the ADA, disabilities include, but are not limited to:
- Deafness
- Blindness
- Diabetes
- Cancer
- Epilepsy
- Intellectual disabilities
- Partially or completely missing limbs
- Mobility impairments requiring the use of a wheelchair
- Autism
- Cerebral palsy
- HIV
- Multiple sclerosis
- Muscular dystrophy
- Major depressive disorder
- Bipolar disorder
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Schizophrenia
Additionally, accommodations for individuals with medical conditions that put them at more significant risk of severe illness from COVID-19 may be appropriate. However, HR will evaluate these requests individually based on the particular risk posed in the specific working environment.
By initiating the employee accommodation process and completing this request form, you give the System Office permission to explore employment-related reasonable accommodations. All information requested from medical examinations and inquiries will be job-related and consistent with business necessity and will be maintained and used in accordance with the ADA, and all applicable state and federal laws, or under the provisions of any similar and appropriate sections of succeeding ADA laws. ADA-related medical files are kept separate from personnel files, and access is limited to personnel involved in the determination of reasonable accommodations.
By considering this request, the System Office does not consider or regard the person as having a disability as defined by the ADA, or any other applicable law. The personnel involved in evaluating an accommodation request are not covered entities as defined in the HIPAA rules. With certain exceptions, HR will not disclose the diagnostic or treatment information of its employees participating in the accommodation process. There are, however, instances when your information is shared with certain individuals such as other human resource personnel, first aid and safety personnel, or System Office personnel investigating compliance with the ADA.