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Information for Employees With Disabilities

Overview

The Â鶹´«Ã½ is committed to maintaining an inclusive and accessible environment across its campus and to the principals and protections offered by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) for its employees and potential employees.  The ADA prohibits discrimination in all employment practices, including job application procedures, hiring, firing, advancement, compensation, training, and other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment. It applies to recruitment, advertising, tenure, layoff, leave, fringe benefits, and all other employment-related activities.

The University provides reasonable accommodations or adjustments to qualified individuals with disabilities to ensure they are afforded and equal opportunity to participate and benefit from any University program, activity, event or service.  

The Office of Equity and Diversity works with faculty and staff to provide support they may need to continue to work.   Accommodations or adjustments are made on an individualized basis, and without causing undue hardship to the University.  

Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans

All members of the University community should understand their roles and responsibilities when responding to emergency situations. The University recognizes that individuals with mobility, auditory or visual disabilities may require assistance in emergency situations, especially with accessing alerts, evacuating, and sheltering. The University, therefore, asks all individuals who may need assistance in an emergency to self-identify to the University. This means that students and employees of the University should contact the Office of Equity and Diversity elizabeth.garcia2@scranton.edu or diana.collinsgilmore@scranton.edu  or by calling 570-941-6645.

The University will not assume that a student or employee requires a Personal Evacuation Plan.

To review the full guidelines, self-identify and request a personal evacuation plan please visit:

Reasonable Accommodations for Individuals with Disabilities Policy

The University provides reasonable accommodations or adjustments to qualified individuals with disabilities to ensure they are afforded an equal opportunity to participate and benefit from any University program, activity, event, or service. Accommodations or adjustments are made on an individualized basis, and without causing undue hardship to the University. The University holds employees with disabilities to the same standards of production/performance as similarly situated employees without disabilities for performing essential job functions, with or without reasonable accommodation.

EMPLOYEES: Guidelines and forms for requesting reasonable accommodations under this policy may be found here:

Complaints of disability discrimination may be filed in accordance with the University Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment Policy.

If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Equity & Diversity:
Tel: 570 941-6645 or elizabeth.garcia2@scranton.edu

Responsibilities of the Office of Equity and Diversity

  • Official record-keeper for employees with disabilities; all medical, accommodation requests and records are maintained by the office.
  • Ensure equal access and opportunities for employees and students* to learn and grow at the University.
  • Deliver an evolving and comprehensive set of disability services and programs.
  • Develop strategic collaborations with other university departments.
  • Assist employees in the successful transition into the campus community by promotion individual growth, development and self-advocacy.
  • Investigate, grant and finance  reasonable accommodation requests
  • Ensure equal opportunity for applicant persons with disabilities in consideration for employment.

  • Serve as a resource for employees to discuss work issues with regard to disability

*While OED works to ensure that all campus members have equal access to educational opportunities, The Office of Student Support and Success (OSSS) provides services for students with disAbilities. If you are a student, please contact the OSSS at 570-941-4038, or visit the OSSS Website.

Important Terms and Definitions

Disability: A disability is (1) a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities of such individual; (2) a record of such an impairment; or (3) being regarded as having such an impairment.

Essential Functions: Essential functions are the job duties that en employee must be able to perform with or without a reasonable accommodation(s). 

Interactive Process:  The interactive process is the ongoing process by which the University, through the Office of Equity and Diversity and the employee/applicant engage in a dialogue to determine what, if any, accommodations may be implemented to allow the qualified employee to perform the essential functions of his/her position with the University, and may include obtaining and reviewing documentation from a medical provider.

Qualified Individual: A qualified individual is an individual who, with or without reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions for the position the individual holds at the University, or applies for as an applicant. 

Reasonable Accommodation: A reasonable accommodation means necessary and appropriate change, modification or adjustment that permits a qualified applicant or employee to participate in the job application process, to perform the essential functions of the job, or enjoy benefits and privileged of employment equal to those enjoyed by individuals without disability without imposing a disproportionate or undue burden on the University. Reasonable accommodations are determined on a case-by-case basis.

Undue Hardship: Undue hardship means significant difficulty or expense in the provisions of an accommodation that would be unduly costly, extensive, substantially, or would fundamentally alter the nature or operation of the University.  The University must assess on a case-by-case basis whether a particular accommodation would cause undue hardship.

Requesting an Accommodation

Employees or applicants are responsible for initiating the ADA Interactive Process by contacting the Office of Equity and Diversity and providing a completed  and a .  OED maintains medical information confidential.  Once OED receives the complete forms, the Executive Director or Assistant Director of OED will determine if the employee is potentially eligible for accommodations under the ADA. Once the determination is made, OED will engage the employee in the interactive process to discuss possible reasonable accommodations.  

For more information on requesting disability accommodations, please review the 

Supervisory Employee Obligation to Report

Employers are required to provide reasonable accommodations to enable applicants and employee to either, be considered for a job opening, or to perform the essential job functions of a position, respectively. All applicants and employees have the right to a fair and confidential accommodation process under the law. Supervisory employees of the University are required to refer employees that may require a reasonable accommodation to OED. Supervisory employees must inform OED that an employee was referred to OED. OED will work directly with the employee or applicant, and consult with the Department, as necessary, to determine an appropriate accommodation.

In the interactive process, a Department must work with OED to provide a suggestion for an alternative accommodation if called upon by OED.

Office of Equity and Diversity
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Institute of Molecular Biology and Medicine, Suite 315
Phone: (570)941-6645

Note: The American’s With Disabilities Act requires that, when the employee is ready to return to work after a leave (if a leave was taken), the University must allow the employee to return to the same position if the employee is still is qualified to perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodations.

Appeals and Complaints

Filing an Appeal: Eligibility for accommodation is determined through an interactive process between the individual employee and OED.  If an accommodation is denied, the individual employee may choose to pursue an appeal through the following processes. Appeals must be filed by the employee within 15 business days of being denied.

In writing to the Vice President of Human Resources, explain:

  • the requested accommodation
  • the accommodation provided, if any
  • medical documentation supporting the requested accommodation
  • a brief summary of what occurred during the interactive process and

  • attach any and all communication between the individual and OED

The Vice President of Human Resources will contact OED for a written response to the appeal, and OED will have 15 business days to respond to the Vice President.   The Vice President will issue a decision within 15 business days of receiving OED's response.

Filing a Complaint: Applicants denied a job or an equal opportunity to apply for a job based on a disability, can process a complaint pursuant to the 

Accessible Parking

In collaboration with parking services at the Department of Public Safety, OED works to adhere to the requirements of the ADA Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities (ADAAG).  There are 43 accessible (handicapped) spaces distributed throughout campus.  

Where self-parking in accessible space is not available, Public Safety will arrange to provide shuttle service from the parking pavilion to another location on campus.  To access this service, call 570 941-7888. Some wait time during busy times is to be reasonably expected.

Planning an Event? Make it Accessible.

OED will facilitate access to sign language interpreter, assistive listening devices, parking, and other auxiliary aids, where needed and appropriate.  Request for Auxiliary Aids must be made at least 10 business days in advance of the event by contacting jennifer.pennington@scranton.edu.

External Resources

Americans with Disabilities Act

The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission provides fact sheets, which address common questions about how the ADA protects applicants with disabilities. For more info:    or .

Job Accommodation Network (JAN)

The Job Accommodation Network is a service of the Office of Disability Employment Policy of the United States Department of Labor.  JAN's mission is to facilitate the employment and retention of employees with disabilities by providing interested parties with information on job accommodations and other subjects.  For more info: 

Americans with Disability Act 

The US Department of Justice's homepage on ADA resources, publications, and updates can be found at:  

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