ADA and Workplace Accommodation at Pomona
Pomona College is committed to the protection of civil rights for all people inside and outside its Community. In particular, Pomona College supports and will follow all federal and state laws pertaining to the protection of qualified individuals with disabilities, including the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
In relation to employees, applicants and visitors to the College, the ADA is designed to remove barriers, which prevent qualified individuals with disabilities from enjoying the same opportunities available to persons without disabilities. The goal of the ADA is that no qualified individual will be excluded from participation in or be denied benefits of services, programs, or activities at Pomona College, regardless of disability. Pomona College is working to increase our community’s sensitivity toward people with disabilities and actively support their rightful demand for equality and justice.
The Meaning of Qualified Individuals and Disability
By way of clarity, it is important to understand the meaning of “Qualified Individuals” and “a person with a disability.”
A Qualified Individual is a person who possesses the requisite knowledge, skill, experience, and education to perform specific job requirements. Qualified Individuals who have a disability and who are otherwise able to perform job-related requirements, with or without a reasonable accommodation, have equal opportunity to perform the essential functions of the job.
The definition of “a person with a disability” is anyone with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. Examples of major life activities includes, but is not limited to walking, speaking, breathing, performing manual tasks, seeing, hearing, learning, and care of one’s self.
Reasonable Accommodations
A reasonable accommodation is a modification or adjustment to a job, practice, or work environment that makes it possible for a disabled individual to perform the essential functions of their job or fully participate in the College’s work environment, unless such accommodation would impose an undue hardship to the College. Examples of reasonable accommodation include, but is not limited to:
- Specialized/modified equipment
- Work schedule modification
- Changes to policies, training, and examinations
- Job restructuring
- Providing qualified readers and interpreters
- Reassignment to different work area/department
- Providing accessible facilities
Process
Pomona College is compelled to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with known disabilities. It is the intent of the College to keep any personal information confidential and on a business need-to-know basis. This includes medical information connected to a legitimate disability. For this reason, requests for accommodation must go through the HR Department.