Employment Disability Accommodations
If you require an accommodation for any of the content on this site, please contact Navjit Puniani at (559) 243-7156.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) prohibit discrimination against individuals with disabilities and medical conditions that limit a major life activity and require that employers provide disabled applicants and employees with reasonable accommodations.
Under these regulations, the District will do the following:
- Engage in a timely, good faith interactive process with applicants or employees with known disabilities or when it becomes aware of the need for an accommodation; and
- Provide reasonable accommodations, if any, for applicants and employees who have a disability or medical condition, and are unable to perform the essential functions of their job.
How to Submit a Request
- To request an accommodation for a disability or medical condition, please submit the completed Request for Reasonable Accommodation form to Navjit Puniani, Human Resources Analyst (Accommodations) at navjit.puniani@scccd.edu or fax to (559) 499-6006.
- For information on requesting an ergonomic evaluation, please contact Navjit Puniani, Human Resources Analyst (Accommodations)
The District will not request any protected or private medical information from the employee or their healthcare provider that relates to medical diagnosis, treatment plan, medications or genetic information of the individual or family member. Medical or healthcare information provided to the District in connection with the interactive process will be kept confidential in a file separate from the employee’s personnel file and shared only with persons who need to know the information in making a reasonable accommodation determination or as permitted or required by law.
The Human Resources Analyst (Accommodations) will manage and respond to requests for reasonable accommodations as soon as possible.
After a request for accommodation has been made and the existence of a qualifying disability is confirmed by a healthcare provider, the next step in the interactive accommodation process is to determine what, if any, reasonable accommodation should be provided. All accommodation requests are handled on a case-by-case basis.
If a request for accommodation is denied, the denial and reason for the denial will be communicated to the employee requesting the accommodation.
The Interactive Process
After a request for accommodation has been made, and the existence of a qualifying disability confirmed by a health care provider, if necessary, the next step in the interactive accommodation process is to determine what, if any, reasonable accommodation should be provided. During the interactive process, the Human Resources Analyst (Accommodations) will facilitate the process and support the individual requesting the accommodation and the District in identifying possible reasonable accommodations. An interactive process and accommodation discussion includes reviewing the employee's job description and job duties, reviewing the employee's workplace restrictions or functional limitations and having an open discussion about what accommodations may be effective in meeting the individual's needs to successfully meet the requirements of the job or enjoy equivalent benefits and privileges of employment as non-disabled employees. If a reasonable accommodation cannot be identified or if the employee poses a risk to themself or to others, accommodations such as a leave of absence, disability retirement, and/or an alternative work assignment may be explored. For more information, please refer to Employment Disability Accommodations.
Lactation Accommodation
The District will provide a reasonable amount of paid and unpaid breaktime to accommodate an employee desiring to express breast milk for the employee's infant child. The breaktime will, whenever possible, run concurrently with any breaktime already provided to the employee. Breaktime for an employee that does not run concurrently with, or is in addition to the regularly provided breaktime authorized for the employee, will be unpaid. The District will make reasonable efforts to accommodate the employee by providing an appropriate room or other location to express milk in private. The District will attempt to find a lactation support room in close proximity to the employee's work area and ensure the room will be in compliance with state law. For more information, please refer to Lactation Accommodation.
Requesting Lactation Accommodation
- At least two weeks prior to returning to work, or as soon as possible, the employee must contact the Human Resources Analyst (Accommodations) to inform the District of the employee's desire to use a lactation support room.
- The Analyst will work with the facilities department at the respective campus/location to arrange a lactation support room in close proximity to the employee's work area.
- The Analyst will inform the employee of their rights and responsibilities for use of the lactation support room, its location, and the location of the key to access the room.
- The Analyst will inform the employee's supervisor of the employee's need for accommodation pursuant to the administrative regulation, and the requirement to allow the employee to take reasonable paid and unpaid breaks to express milk as frequently as needed.
- The employee must arrange with their supervisor appropriate breaktimes during the workday to express milk. The breaks, whenever possible, should coincide with the employee's regular paid breaks and unpaid mealtime.
- The employee must inform their supervisor when they need breaktime in addition to, or instead of, those times that coincide with their regularly provided breaks. The employee will not be paid during breaktime taken that does not run concurrently, or is in addition to, their regularly paid breaks. The employee is also to notify their supervisor when they will be away from their regular work area.
- The employee is responsible for providing their own breast pump, storage containers or other equipment needed.
- If the District cannot provide breaktime or a location that complies with state law, the Analyst will provide a written response to the employee.
