ADA services
Equity and Access Services ensures compliance with federal and state laws and regulations pertaining to persons with disabilities, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA), ADA Standards for Accessible Design, and Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. In addition, Virginia Commonwealth University's Accessibility and Reasonable Accommodation for Individuals with Disabilities Policy applies to the entire university community and third parties.
We collaborate with Student Accessibility and Educational Opportunity (formerly Disability Support Services) which provides ADA accommodations for students on the Monroe Park Campus; the Division for Academic Success, which provides ADA accommodations for students on the MCV Campus; and other departments at VCU to ensure equal access to programs, services and activities as required by the ADA.
Our services include:
- Consultations with employees and their supervisors about the accommodations process for employees and job applicants
- Physical and programmatic access to university programs and facilities
- Facilitation of accessibility of VCU websites in coordination with Web Services
- Education and training for all departments and employees on ADA-related topics
- Ongoing review of nondiscrimination policies and procedures
- Outreach programs
To report a campus or online accessibility issue, complete the Campus accessibility concern form and contact the ADA coordinator.
ADA Amendments Act
The ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA) is modeled after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title V of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. It prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in private sector employment, services rendered by state and local governments, places of public accommodation, transportation, telecommunications and relay services. The primary focus of ADA services is employment accommodations.
Under the ADAAA, a person has a disability if he or she has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities; has a record (history) of such an impairment; or is regarded as a person with a disability (subjected to a prohibited employment action due to an actual or perceived impairment that is not both transitory and minor).
Reasonable accommodations
A reasonable accommodation is any adjustment to a job or work environment that does not cause undue hardship on an employer’s business operations. It allows an individual with a disability to participate in the job application process, perform essential functions of a job or enjoy the same benefits and privileges of employment as those without disabilities.
To initiate the interactive process towards determining eligibility for an accommodation, you can contact your supervisor, human resources or the ADA Coordinator. The process is confidential. Requests for a reasonable accommodation will be assessed and evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Employees will be asked to complete the Employee request for accommodation form and the Medical certification for employee accommodation form as part of the accommodation process. More information can be found in the Accessibility and Reasonable Accommodation for Individuals with Disabilities Policy.
Self-identification of disability status
Employees have the option to self-identify as an individual with a disability. This information is confidential and is for data collection purposes only. This information will not be shared with the ADA Coordinator. Responses to the survey will be used for affirmative action planning purposes only.
Read more about the self-identification process and follow the Voluntary self-identification of disability status instructions to self-identify.
Parking
Individuals with disabilities who are in need of parking accommodations can contact the university’s ADA Coordinator or can choose to contact Parking and Transportation directly on the Monroe Park Campus at (804) 828-8726 and on the MCV at (804) 828-0501.
Leave
Employees with disabilities may be affected by other laws. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) entitles eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of paid (if covered by available leave balance) or unpaid job-protected leave each year for specified family and medical reasons. Read more about FMLA at VCU here.
Resources
- Accessibility and Reasonable Accommodation for Individuals with Disabilities Policy
- Campus accessibility concern form
- Disability sensitivity training video
- Employee request for accommodation form
- I'd like you to know: disclosing disabilities at VCU
- Medical certification for employee accommodation form