FILE:  GAAB

Cf:  GAAA

INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES

 The West Baton Rouge Parish School Board believes that no otherwise qualified person shall, on the basis of disability, be subjected to discrimination in employment, promotion, demotion, transfer, or any employment-related function or process, under any program or activity in the West Baton Rouge Parish School System.

The School Board further believes that no student, parent or other citizen with a disability should be denied access to any program or activity where reasonable accommodations may be made without imposing undue financial or administrative burdens or where such modifications would result in a fundamental alteration in the nature or the program or activity.

REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION

The School Board will make every effort to provide reasonable accommodations for the known disabilities of its employees and/or applicants.  A reasonable accommodation is defined as a modification to the job or work environment that will enable a qualified individual with a disability to enjoy equal employment opportunity.

In general, it is the responsibility of the applicant and/or employee with a disability to inform the School Board that an accommodation is necessary.  This request need not specifically use the term reasonable accommodation, but need only let the School Board know that, because of a medical reason, some adjustment or change is needed to enable the employee to perform his/her job.  If an employee requests an accommodation and the need for such is not obvious, or if the School Board does not believe that the accommodation is needed, the School Board may request that the employee provide documentation from his physician regarding the employee’s functional limitations to support the request.  The School Board is not required to provide an accommodation that is primarily for the personal use of the employee. Furthermore, the School Board is not required to provide an accommodation which would result in an undue hardship for the school system.

Requests for a reasonable accommodation should be in writing.  The employee who believes that a reasonable accommodation is necessary should report such to his/her immediate supervisor.  The supervisor will meet to discuss the request and attempt to identify possible accommodations which could be made that would allow the employee to perform the essential functions of his/her job. If a resolution cannot be reached between the employee and his/her supervisor, then the supervisor will then report the request to the Associate Superintendent for Human Resources and Staff Development. A meeting will then be held with the employee, the supervisor, and the Associate Superintendent to determine if accommodations can be made. When possible, the accommodation that is less costly to the School Board will be chosen.

Once a request for an accommodation has been made, the supervisor shall schedule an initial meeting with the employee as soon as practical, but in no case longer than ten (10) days following the receipt of the request.  If an agreement for accommodation(s) is not made at that level, then a request for an accommodation meeting will be made to the Associate Superintendent no later than ten (10) days from the conclusion of the initial meeting.

Following the meeting(s) discussed above, the supervisor (if a decision was reached at that level) or the Associate Superintendent will render a written decision regarding the request for accommodation, including whether the request is to be granted and how, or if the request is not granted, the reasons why.  Such report will be rendered within a reasonable time following the conclusion of the meeting, but in no instance will the report be rendered longer than thirty (30) days.

In case a decision is made not to grant an accommodation because of an undue hardship, written documentation of the reason(s) shall be sent to the individual and a copy maintained the employee’s personnel file.

Any employee who is denied a request for accommodation may grieve such determination as provided in policy GAE, Non-Title IX Complaints and Grievances, dealing with complaints and grievances.

New policy:  July, 2007

Ref:    29 USC 794 (Nondiscrimination Under Federal Grants and Programs)

42 USC 12101 (Title I, Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990)

La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §§23:322, 23:323, 23:324

Board minutes, 7-18-07

West Baton Rouge Parish School Board