212 Requesting an Accommodation

The Postal Service activates the reasonable accommodation process whenever the following occurs:

• An employee or applicant, or someone acting on behalf of the employee or applicant, makes an oral or written request for reasonable accommodation.
• A manager or supervisor observes the following:
• An employee with a known physical or mental disability having difficulty performing the essential functions of his or her job.
• An employee otherwise experiencing workplace problems because of that disability.
• A manager or supervisor reasonably believes that an employee with a known disability may need an accommodation and the disability prevents the employee from requesting reasonable accommodation.

To request a reasonable accommodation, an individual may use plain language and need not mention the Rehabilitation Act or use the phrase “reasonable accommodation.” The request does not have to be in writing, nor are specific forms required to request an accommodation. While the individual is not required to request a specific accommodation, he or she must let the Postal Service know that he or she needs an adjustment or change at work for a reason related to a medical condition.

An employee may make a request for accommodation to any of the following:

• His or her supervisor or manager, or any Postal Service supervisor or manager.
• The manager, Field Human Resources.
• The Reasonable Accommodation Committee (RAC) chairperson.

A job applicant may make a request for accommodation to any of the following:

• The examiner.
• The selecting official.
• The manager, Field Human Resources.
• Any Postal Service employee connected with the application process (including those listed above, a contact listed on the job posting, an employee who assists in scheduling an interview, or a member of the review committee).

Employees who are deaf or hard of hearing and seek a communication accommodation may also make a request for accommodation to the district disability coordinator.

Requests for accommodation, as well as the type of accommodation requested, will determine how individuals make requests and how the Postal Service processes the requests.