ADA Accommodations for COVID-19

Reason for Policy

The goal is to protect our staff, faculty and students while responding to the COVID 19 pandemic and continue Adelphi University’s mission of education.

Who Is Governed by this Policy

All employees of the University:

• Non-Union employees of the University
• Employees of the American Association of University of Professors (AAUP)
• Employees of the Benevolent Association of Security Officers
• Employees of the Local 1102
• Employees of the Local 153
• Employees of Adelphi Physical Plant Workers’ Labor Union (APPWLU)
• Student-workers

Policy

Some employees may be unable to return to work on campus for a variety of reasons, including their actual or perceived vulnerability to COVID 19.

美国疾病控制与预防中心发布了关于大流行和其他公共卫生危机的指南。目前，美国疾病控制与预防中心发布了关于COVID-19和弱势人群的指南，即那些可能因COVID-19患上严重疾病的高风险人群，包括“老年人”和/或任何年龄的人，他们有严重的基础疾病(如慢性肺病、哮喘、心脏病、免疫缺陷和疾病、癌症、艾滋病毒或艾滋病、严重肥胖、糖尿病、肾病和肝病)。随着信息的获得，CDC的指导可能会改变，本政策也会相应改变。

Employees with a medically-diagnosed disability who already receive a reasonable accommodation under the ADA may be entitled to additional or alternative reasonable accommodations because of COVID-19. For example, an employee who is teleworking because of the pandemic may need a different type of accommodation than what they use in the actual workplace. Please note that an employee’s general concerns about illness (including COVID-19) for themselves or family members do not constitute a “disability” within the meaning of the ADA. While we will attempt to be flexible regarding such employees, we cannot guarantee that accommodation is possible.

If an employee requires an accommodation, the employee should complete the two required documents. One is an employee request for accommodation form and one is for the physician to complete. The physician statement must answer the following:

1. How the disability creates a limitation
2. How the requested accommodation will effectively address the limitation
3. Whether a different accommodation could effectively address the issue
4. How a proposed accommodation will enable the employee to continue performing the essential functions of his or her position
5. Physician signature

A reasonable accommodation may be appropriate if it allows the employee to perform his or her essential job functions and does not impose an undue hardship on the University.

Employees who do not seek accommodations may not have any action taken against them unless their conditions pose a direct threat (a significant risk of substantial harm) to their own health and cannot be accommodated by reasonable means. This is a very high threshold. Such steps may not be taken without the involvement of the Office of Human Resources.

Procedures

This policy requires employees (including a student employee) requesting an employee accommodation to engage in a dialogue with Karen Loiacono and Joanna Ocampo in the Office of Human Resources regarding the request. Adelphi may proactively inquire whether employees with disabilities will require accommodations upon a return to work after stay at home orders and shutdowns are lifted.

Definitions

Undue Hardship:An undue hardship is defined as a “significant difficulty or expense” to the University

Vulnerable Population:Include “older adults” (70+ years old) and/or people of any age who have serious underlying medical conditions (such as chronic lung disease, asthma, heart conditions, immune deficiencies and disorders, cancer, HIV or AIDS, severe obesity, diabetes, kidney disease and liver disease).

Forms

• Physician Form for Accommodation Request
• Employee Request for Accommodation

Related Information

Adelphi will keep all medical information about an employee separate and confidential from an employee’s personnel file.

• EEOC
• COVID-19 Leave Policy

Document History

This section must contain the following dates or placeholders for future dates:

• Last Reviewed Date: New Policy
• Last Revised Date: August 3, 2022
• Policy Origination Date: July 21, 2020

Who Approved This Policy

Lucinda J. Donnelly – Chief Human Resources Officer