Accommodations
Requesting a Disability Accommodation (Employee)
An employee with a disability who thinks they may need a reasonable accommodation to access a campus program, activity, or service or to effectively do their job should contact the Assistant Director of Human Resources at 740-427-5773, to discuss specific needs. Advance notice is required to review documentation, evaluate accommodation requests, and provide notice or arrangements for any accommodation.
Requesting a modification or accommodation involves the following steps:
- Request modification/accommodation
- Provide required documentation
- Meet with the Assistant Director of Human Resources
- Receive a letter of accommodation
- Follow up with supervisor/department head
- Contact HR for further assistance
Request modification or accommodation.
An employee may request a modification or accommodation orally or in writing. Download the form for requesting an accommodation. If Human Resources is aware of the disability, knows that the disability may be interfering with the employee’s work performance, and believes that the disability may be preventing the person from requesting a reasonable accommodation, the Assistant Director of Human Resources may initiate the interactive process.
Provide required documentation
Documentation is not always required. Kenyon may request documentation from a medical or mental health professional if that disability is not obvious or previously unknown. Generally, Kenyon accepts documentation as valid if it is dated within two year(s) of the request. The documentation must establish that the employee has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity, identifies functional limitations related to the job and may provide recommendations for potential reasonable accommodations. The Assistant Director of Human Resources will review the documentation and identify on a case-by-case basis a range of reasonable modifications or accommodations based on documentation provided.
Meet with Assistant Director of Human Resources
The employee will schedule a meeting with the Assistant Director of Human Resources to review documentation and the requested accommodation. The employee making the request and the Assistant Director of Human Resources will engage in an interactive process to determine appropriate modification(s) or accommodation(s).
Receive a letter of accommodation.
Following the interactive process, the Assistant Director of Human Resources will generate an electronic letter describing the modification(s) or accommodation(s) to be provided to the employee to the appropriate supervisor and/or department head. A copy of the letter of accommodation will also be emailed to the employee. This email will make those parties aware of the recommended accommodations that are based on the documentation on file. By law, the Assistant Director of Human Resources cannot disclose the nature of an employee's disability without the employee’s consent. If an accommodation cannot be granted because of workplace constraints, the interactive process will be re-opened to explore reasonable alternatives and will include the supervisor or department head.
Follow up with supervisor/department head.
The letter of accommodation is not meant to be a final statement of accommodation. Rather, it is important that the employee communicate with their supervisor or department head about the specifics of their modifications or accommodations and the effectiveness of the same. Examples might include determining arrangements for extended time on certain tasks, arranging to have print materials available in alternative formats, arranging for a computer with specialized visual or audio capabilities, etc. The Assistant Director of Human Resources is available to provide assistance with accommodation arrangements.
Contact the Assistant Director of Human Resources for further assistance.
If the modification(s) or accommodation(s) an employee is currently receiving need to be revisited, the employee can contact the Assistant Director of Human Resources to review them. Should an employee be dissatisfied or have concerns about the implementation of the modifications or accommodations for which they are eligible, they should contact the Assistant Director of Human Resources or the Civil Rights Coordinator 740-427-5825.
Requesting Accommodations for Religious Beliefs
Kenyon College seeks to provide a welcoming environment for people of all religions and religious beliefs. College policy grants accommodations for all sincerely held religious beliefs and practices unless it would create an undue hardship for the College.
Examples of possible accommodations include wearing specific clothing, not performing specific duties that might conflict with one’s sincerely held religious beliefs, and taking certain time off for religious ceremonies or practices. Any appropriate accommodation is determined through an interactive process.
Staff and Faculty
Staff and faculty members seeking a religious accommodation should contact the Assistant Director of Human Resources at 740-427-5773. The Assistant Director will work with the employee and the employee’s supervisor/department head in an interactive process. Normally, the Assistant Director will provide a written description of the accommodation decision within 10 business days. If an accommodation request is denied or is unsatisfactory, the employee may submit a request for reconsideration to the Director of Human Resources within 5 business days of receiving the decision.
- Request accommodation
An employee requesting an accommodation should meet with the Assistant Director of Human Resources. It is in the employee’s best interest to request this meeting at the earliest possible date. These meetings must occur annually.
- Letter of accommodation
Once the accommodation is determined, the applicant and the appropriate parties will be notified. The employee’s supervisor, Department Head, and others will be notified of the accommodations as determined by the Assistant Director.
Discrimination
Nothing in the policy shall prohibit an employee who believes that they may have been subjected to religious discrimination or discrimination based on religion to utilize the College’s Discrimination/Discriminatory Harassment Procedures by contacting the College’s Civil Rights Coordinator at 740-427-5285 and/or to pursue a complaint with either the Ohio Civil Rights Commission or the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Revised 1/2024