University Policies

File code: PRES.ADAFACSTAFF.POL
Approval Date: 2/7/06
Approved By: President

ADA Services for Faculty/Staff

Western Illinois University is committed to providing equal opportunities for employment for persons with disabilities. The Equal Opportunity & Access Office is the designated office that coordinates approved reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities at Western Illinois University. This is done in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

An individual is considered to have a disability if he/she:

  • has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities;
  • has a record of such an impairment; or
  • is regarded as having such an impairment.

If an employee has a disability that may be impacting his/her job performance, he/she can request a reasonable accommodation. A reasonable accommodation is a modification or adjustment to a job that assists a qualified individual in performing essential job duties.

To be considered a qualified individual, the employee must be someone who possesses the skills, experience, and educational qualifications required for the position and who can perform the essential functions of the job with or without an accommodation. The essential functions of the job are those duties that are most critical to the performance of the job position.

To receive a reasonable accommodation as a qualified employee, contact the Affirmative Action/ADA Compliance Office to schedule an appointment to discuss the impact of the disability in the job setting, the requested accommodation, and the job position description. All reasonable accommodations are determined on a case-by-case basis specific to the impact of the disability on the individual. The employee must provide appropriate documentation of the disability. Once the documentation is received and determined to be appropriate, an appointment will be made with the employee and the employee's supervisor. This meeting will be an interactive discussion of the essential functions of the job position, the needed reasonable accommodation, the appropriateness of the accommodation to the work environment, and the recommended course of action.