Employment Open House for Job Seekers with Disabilities

April 10, 2019

SADA Alliance Logo

Monday, May 6th, 2019 from 11:30 am to 3:00 pm

University Hall Room 24

During the upcoming month of May, UC Berkeley will be holding its 4th Employment Open House for Job Seekers with Disabilities. The invitation is open to anyone in the community with Disabilities who may be interested in employment at the University of California, Berkeley (UCB). The Open House will take place on Monday, May 6th, 2019 from 11:30 to 3:00 pm at University Hall in Room 24. 


The UCB Alliance for Disability Access (ADA), better known as "the Alliance," is staffed by the community of the disabled on the UCB campus. Further, they partner with Human Resources and the Compliance offices here at UCB on issues concerning the Staff with Disabilities Community. The goal of the Alliance is to promote an inclusive campus by supporting employment of persons with disabilities.

The Open House will give participants the opportunity to:

•          Hear about jobs at UC Berkeley

•          Learn about the reasonable accommodation process 

•          Get tips on resume building, job searching, and interview excellence.

•          Apply for jobs on-site at this meeting.

In this event, participants will be introduced to the campus resource staff who can assist with any questions or concerns about employment for the community of the disabled here at UCB.

Open House Agenda

CLICK HERE TO RSVP

Please specify any accommodations you may require on your RSVP.

Contact sada@berkeley.edu if you have any questions about the event.


FAQs

FAQ Flyer

May an employer ask whether a reasonable accommodation is needed when an applicant has not asked for one?

An employer may tell applicants what the hiring process involves (e.g., an interview, timed written test, or job demonstration), and may ask applicants whether they will need a reasonable accommodation for this process. During the hiring process and before a conditional offer is made, an employer generally may not ask an applicant whether s/he needs a reasonable accommodation for the job, except when the employer knows that an applicant has a disability -- either because it is obvious or the applicant has voluntarily disclosed the information -- and could reasonably believe that the applicant will need a reasonable accommodation to perform specific job functions.

If the applicant replies that s/he needs a reasonable accommodation, the employer may inquire as to what type. After a conditional offer of employment is extended, an employer may inquire whether applicants will need reasonable accommodations related to anything connected with the job (i.e., job performance or access to benefits/privileges of the job) as long as all entering employees in the same job category are asked this question.

Alternatively, an employer may ask a specific applicant if s/he needs a reasonable accommodation if the employer knows that this applicant has a disability -- either because it is obvious or the applicant has voluntarily disclosed the information -- and could reasonably believe that the applicant will need a reasonable accommodation. If the applicant replies that s/he needs a reasonable accommodation, the employer may inquire as to what type.

Does an employer have to provide a reasonable accommodation to an applicant with a disability?

Yes. An employer must provide a reasonable accommodation to a qualified applicant with a disability that will enable the individual to have an equal opportunity to participate in the application process and to be considered for a job (unless it can show undue hardship).

When should an individual with a disability request a reasonable accommodation?

An individual with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation at any time during the application process or during the period of employment. The ADA does not preclude an employee with a disability from requesting a reasonable accommodation because s/he did not ask for one when applying for a job or after receiving a job offer. Rather, an individual with a disability should request a reasonable accommodation when s/he knows that there is a workplace barrier that is preventing him/her, due to a disability, from effectively competing for a position, performing a job, or gaining equal access to a benefit of employment. As a practical matter, it may be in an employee's interest to request a reasonable accommodation before performance suffers or conduct problems occur.

What must an employer do after receiving a request for reasonable accommodation?

The employer and the individual with a disability should engage in an informal process to clarify what the individual needs and identify the appropriate reasonable accommodation. The employer may ask the individual relevant questions that will enable it to make an informed decision about the request. This includes asking what type of reasonable accommodation is needed.

The exact nature of the dialogue will vary. In many instances, both the disability and the type of accommodation required will be obvious, and thus there may be little or no need to engage in any discussion. In other situations, the employer may need to ask questions concerning the nature of the disability and the individual's functional limitations in order to identify an effective accommodation. While the individual with a disability does not have to be able to specify the precise accommodation, s/he does need to describe the problems posed by the workplace barrier.

Additionally, suggestions from the individual with a disability may assist the employer in determining the type of reasonable accommodation to provide. Where the individual or the employer are not familiar with possible accommodations, there are extensive public and private resources to help the employer identify reasonable accommodations once the specific limitations and workplace barriers have been ascertained.

Is an employer required to provide the reasonable accommodation that the individual wants?

 The employer may choose among reasonable accommodations as long as the chosen accommodation is effective. Thus, as part of the interactive process, the employer may offer alternative suggestions for reasonable accommodations and discuss their effectiveness in removing the workplace barrier that is impeding the individual with a disability.

How quickly must an employer respond to a request for reasonable accommodation?

An employer should respond expeditiously to a request for reasonable accommodation. If the employer and the individual with a disability need to engage in an interactive process, this too should proceed as quickly as possible. Similarly, the employer should act promptly to provide the reasonable accommodation. Unnecessary delays can result in a violation of the ADA.


Enforcement Guidance: Reasonable Accommodations and the Interactive Process
 


University Hall

University Hall