Information for Employees

Bryn Mawr College welcomes the full participation of individuals with disabilities in all aspects of the campus community. Accordingly, the College is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all qualified individuals with disabilities in compliance with applicable state and federal laws and regulations, including the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Definition of Terms

An “individual with a disability” is someone who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities (e.g., walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, caring for oneself). The term “substantially limits” means the individual is significantly restricted as to the condition, manner, or duration under which a major life activity is performed compared to most people.

A “qualified individual with a disability” is one who, with or without reasonable accommodation, is able to perform the essential functions of an employment position. 

The term “reasonable accommodation” refers to modifications to the employment situation or environment necessary to provide a qualified individual with a disability with the opportunity to perform the essential functions of a job, and to enjoy benefits and privileges of employment equivalent to employees without disabilities. In general, the term “essential functions” refers to the fundamental duties of the job at issue.

Who to Contact for Assistance

Employees and supervisors are encouraged to contact Human Resources to request information or assistance with an issue pertaining to a disability and an employment situation.

Procedures for Requesting Accommodations

• The employee contacts Human Resources to discuss concerns and to request an accommodation. 
• With the employee’s consent, Human Resources may consult with representatives from Access Services, as well as the employee’s supervisor, to gather information and to discuss the appropriate measures to take.
• The employee may be asked to submit documentation to verify eligibility and to help determine reasonable accommodations. The documentation should be a current, relevant written report of an evaluation by a qualified professional that confirms the existence of a disabling condition, identifies the functional limitations currently caused by the condition in the employment situation, and relates the current impact of the condition to the accommodations being requested. (Specific information about documentation requirements is available from Access Services.) This documentation is to be obtained at the employee’s expense.
• In the event the documentation provided is not sufficient to support the need for accommodation, the employee may be asked to see a health care professional of the employer’s choice. This evaluation will be provided at the College’s expense.   

Evaluation of Requests for Accommodations

Decisions about the need for accommodation and the identification of reasonable accommodations are made after a careful evaluation of each request including, but not limited to, the following:

• Discussions with the employee and his/her supervisor, 
• Consideration of the essential job functions of the position in question; and
• Information provided in the documentation, if required

Disclosure and Confidentiality

Disclosure of a disability is voluntary. Disability-related information is considered confidential material and will not be released without the employee’s written consent unless required or permitted by law. It will be shared with members of the campus community only with permission from the employee, on a need-to-know basis. Any documentation required to support a request for accommodation will be maintained on a confidential basis in the Access Services office.

Dispute Resolution

The College believes that many disagreements can be resolved through an informal interactive process. An employee who has followed the College’s procedures for requesting accommodations and believes s/he has been denied a reasonable accommodation is encouraged to approach one of the following individuals to discuss the matter and seek assistance in resolving the disagreement:  the employee’s supervisor, department director or chair, dean, or the Provost, as appropriate. 

If the employee prefers, s/he may contact the College’s ADA/504 Compliance Officer for assistance. Employees contacting the Compliance Officer should be prepared to explain the nature of the dispute and the actions taken previously to resolve their concerns. The Compliance Officer will ensure that a thorough and impartial review of the issues is conducted and may consult with the parties involved to gather additional information and, when indicated, may convene a meeting of relevant individuals to seek resolution of the dispute. The employee will be informed, in writing, of the outcome of this process within fifteen (15) workdays of having discussed the dispute with the Compliance Officer. The ADA/504 Compliance Officer, who is the College’s Equal Opportunity Officer, may be reached at eoo@brynmawr.edu and 610-526-7630.

Retaliation against any individual because s/he has initiated a good faith disability discrimination grievance will not be tolerated by the College.

The documentation provided to support a request for accommodation should be a current, relevant written report of an evaluation by a qualified professional that confirms the existence of a disabling condition, identifies the functional limitations caused by the condition in the employment situation, and relates the current impact of the condition to the accommodations being requested. It should be on letterhead stationery, provide the date of the most recent evaluation, and include the signature, title, and credentials of the professional conducting the evaluation. At a minimum, the following information should be included:

• Clear statement of the specific diagnosis and level of severity
• Description of the methods, criteria, and diagnostic tests (if any) used to make the diagnosis
• Summary of evaluation results including relevant history, treatment (with timeframe and current medications), and treatment plan
• Discussion of current manifestations of the condition that cause significant limitations in the employment situation
• Recommendations for reasonable accommodations to help minimize the impact of the condition, with a rationale for each one
• Time period for which these accommodations are recommended