64 Referral to a Reasonable Accommodation Committee

641 Overview

You may refer the following to the RAC:

• All Postal Service employees, including career, non-career, and probationary.
• Employees whose conditions are job-related or are not job-related.
• Employees already in a limited duty, light duty, or rehabilitation assignment.

A supervisor or manager must refer a request for accommodation to the RAC when an employee has requested an accommodation or modification of his or her work assignment or job duties based on a medical reason, and one or more of the following is true:

• The supervisor is not certain if the impairment rises to the level of a disability under the Rehabilitation Act.
• The supervisor does not believe the employee is a qualified person with a disability.
• The supervisor has questions concerning the reasonableness of the accommodation requested and whether it poses an undue hardship.
• The supervisor believes the accommodation will pose a direct threat.
• The supervisor needs help finding a way to accommodate the individual.
• The employee is experiencing attendance problems in connection with the impairment, and the supervisor is considering discipline.
• The supervisor believes the request for accommodation should be denied.
• The supervisor is considering separating the employee for inability to perform the functions of his or her position.
• The supervisor is considering withdrawal of any existing accommodation for the employee.
• The supervisor has an employee for which there is no work available due to existing limitations or restrictions.

In addition, referral to the RAC is appropriate in the following situations:

• When the supervisor observes an individual with an obvious or known disability having difficulty performing the essential functions of his or her job due to that disability, particularly where the supervisor is considering any type of disciplinary or administrative action regarding the employee in connection with this disability. In these cases, the referring manager or supervisor must advise the employee of the referral to the RAC.
• When an appointing official questions the medical suitability of an applicant.

Note: You do not need to refer all requests for accommodation to a RAC. For example, if an employee requests specialized equipment, such as an ergonomic chair, and local management can provide the equipment expeditiously, there is no need for RAC involvement.