{"id":43983,"date":"2015-12-08T15:26:20","date_gmt":"2015-12-08T15:26:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zonda-develop.go-vip.net\/concrete-construction\/article\/workplace-accommodations_o"},"modified":"2015-12-08T15:26:20","modified_gmt":"2015-12-08T15:26:20","slug":"workplace-accommodations_o","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zonda-develop.go-vip.net\/concrete-construction\/projects\/infrastructure\/workplace-accommodations_o\/","title":{"rendered":"Workplace accommodations"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\r <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>QUESTION<\/strong>: I\u2019ve received requests to reduce the lighting in our office, but never get a response when I ask for specifics such as glare, brightness, or location. Also, our key-operated doors violate 2010 ADAAG operational guidelines. Is there a policy or questionnaire that defines appropriate accommodations for these two instances? Our office consists of large, open areas with cubicles. \u2014 Mike, Wisconsin<\/p>\r <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>ANSWER<\/strong>: I refer you to two Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) websites:<br><\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"http:\/\/www1.eeoc.gov\/\/eeoc\/internal\/reasonable_accommodation.cfm?renderforprint=1\" target=\"_blank\">Procedures for Providing Reasonable Accommodation for Individuals with Disabilities<\/a><\/li><li>\r <a href=\"http:\/\/www.eeoc.gov\/eeoc\/publications\/smallbusiness.cfm\" target=\"_blank\">Get the Facts Series: Small Business Information<\/a><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.eeoc.gov\/eeoc\/publications\/smallbusiness.cfm\" target=\"_blank\"><\/a><\/p><\/li><\/ul> <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They define \u201creasonable accommodation\u201d as any change in the workplace environment or standard operating procedures that gives a disabled person an equal employment opportunity.<\/p>\r <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Potential and current employers aren\u2019t expected to eliminate essential job functions or supply a device, such as a hearing aid, that someone relies on all the time. Reasonable accommodations fall into three groups: changes that enable someone to apply for a job; do the job; and access common locations and events such as the kitchen, parking lot, and annual holiday party.<\/p>\r <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Next page: Lighting: not the employer\u2019s problem<\/strong><\/p><!--nextpage--><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"> <br> \r <\/p>\r<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Lighting: not the employer\u2019s problem<\/h3><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br> Changing the lighting in a room occupied by other employees affects everyone. So unless the entire staff agrees the lights are too bright, I advise against it.<\/p>\r<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\r <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I base my recommendation on the EEOC\u2019s language regarding items, like hearing aids, that someone must use all the time. Chances are the employee faces the same challenge everywhere: outside, when shopping, during church, at meetings. Thus, mitigation is the employee\u2019s responsibility.<\/p>\r <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Those who are sensitive to office lighting can wear regular sunglasses or night vision sunglasses, a baseball cap, or a hat with a full brim.<\/p>\r <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Next page: Throw away those keys!<\/strong><br><\/p><!--nextpage--><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"> <br><\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Throw away those keys!<\/h3><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><br>You can increase workplace security and never have to replace another lost key by replacing traditional locks with fingerprint locks. Instead of a physical key, the employee uses his or her fingertip to unlock a door. They\u2019re easy to install and manage. When an employee leaves, just remove that fingerprint from the company\u2019s memory file.<\/p>\r<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\r <div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\"> \r <div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\r  <h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2010 ADAAG 309: Operable Parts<\/h3>\r  <div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\r  <br>\r  <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>309.1 General<\/strong>. Operable parts shall comply with 309.<\/p>\r  <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>309.2 Clear Floor Space<\/strong>. A clear floor or ground space complying with 305 shall be provided.<\/p>\r  <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>309.3 Height<\/strong>. Operable parts shall be placed within one or more of the reach ranges specified in 308.<\/p>\r  <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>309.4 Operation<\/strong>. Operable parts shall be operable with one hand and shall not require tight grasping, pinching, or twisting of the wrist. The force required to activate operable parts shall be five pounds (22.2 N) maximum.<\/p>\r  <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>EXCEPTION<\/strong>: Gas pump nozzles shall not be required to provide operable parts that have an activating force of five pounds (22.2 N) maximum.<\/p>\r  <\/div>\r <\/div>\r <\/div>\r <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I\u2019ve installed these and other remote controls with products from <a href=\"http:\/\/www.smarthome.com\" target=\"_blank\"><span >Smarthome Home Automation Superstore<\/span><\/a>. It may have a commercial site or can guide you to one.<\/p>\r <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Always, always, always talk to whoever requests an accommodation to find out why. You wouldn\u2019t believe how much time and money employers waste by not asking basic questions.<\/p>\r <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If a compact car works, a limousine isn\u2019t necessary. Often the simplest solution is often the most effective.<\/p>\r <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Finally, don\u2019t let anyone keep you from implementing changes. The changes won\u2019t affect other employees and will make the disabled individual happier and, ultimately, a more productive person.<\/p>\r <p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Michele S. Ohmes is an Americans with Disabilities Act consultant. E-mail<\/em> michele@michele-able.com<em>.<\/em><\/p>\r<\/div> \r","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>QUESTION: I\u2019ve received requests to reduce the lighting in our office, but never get a response when I ask for specifics such as glare, brightness, or location. Also, our key-operated doors violate 2010 ADAAG operational guidelines. Is there a policy or questionnaire that defines appropriate accommodations for these two instances? Our office consists of large, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"scheduledNewsletterDates":[],"_scheduled_newsletter_id":0,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"zonda_content_type_url_append":"_o","zonda_dfp_zone":"","zonda_exclude_recommended_contents":false,"zonda_exclude_most_popular":false,"zonda_exclude_tagged_results":false,"zonda_eyebrow":"","zonda_last_newsletter_date":"2099-12-31T23:59:59.999-05:00","zonda_original_url":"","zonda_pdf_version":0,"zonda_print_headline":"What employees can and can\u2019t expect","zonda_promo_abstract":"A workplace doesn\u2019t have to accommodate every single potential contingency. 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