University of Washington Human Resources

How to request a workplace accommodation

Requesting an accommodation at the University of Washington is a collaborative and confidential process. Whether you are a staff member, student employee, faculty, or academic personnel, support is available to help you navigate the steps and secure the adjustments you need to perform your job effectively.

Step 1: Know who to contact

The first step is to reach out. You can start by contacting your manager, your departmental HR representative, or the appropriate accommodation team based on your employee type:

Regardless of who receives your initial request, they are responsible for helping move the process forward. You do not need to determine on your own who the “right” contact is—start where you feel comfortable.

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Step 2: Submit a request form

Complete the Disability Accommodation Request online form.

This form helps document your request and starts the formal review process.

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Step 3: Provide medical documentation

Medical documentation helps us understand how your condition impacts your ability to perform your job. You will be asked to submit a medical documentation completed by your healthcare provider unless your disability and related work restrictions are readily apparent. The medical documentation provides support for:

• The disability/health condition
• How your disability/health condition impacts your ability to perform your job
• Any specific recommendations or considerations from your health care provider will be taken into consideration

Please note: The University prioritizes your preference and considers your healthcare provider’s input, however, the final decision about what constitutes a reasonable accommodation is made by the University, based on the essential functions of your role and operational business needs.

Health Care Provider Certification Forms

To review your accommodation request, we’ll need information from a qualified health care provider—unless your disability and related work restrictions are obvious.

The easiest way to provide this?

Use one of our certification forms:

• Health Care Provider Statement (PDF)
• Health Care Provider Statement - Parking (PDF) (for disability parking or transportation needs only)

These forms are designed to gather exactly what’s needed—helping us respond faster and more effectively. If your provider chooses to not use the University forms, it often slows down the process down if we need additional information from them.

Already have documentation?

In some cases—especially if your condition is lifelong or well-documented—past medical records may be enough to begin the process. We’ll review what you provide and let you know if anything else is needed.

Not using the form?

That’s okay, but please make sure your provider includes all relevant details. If anything is missing or unclear, we may need to follow up—possibly delaying your request

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Step 4: Participate in the interactive process

After receiving your request, a designated representative (from the Leave and Accommodation Team or DSO) will reach out to you to:

• Clarify your needs and work responsibilities
• Explore reasonable accommodation options in good faith with you and your department.
• Collaborate on identifying a solution that works for you and your department

This process is not one-size-fits-all. It involves open dialogue, flexibility, and sometimes, input from multiple people. See What to expect after you submit a request to learn more.

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Step 5: Receive a decision

Once the interactive process concludes, you will receive a written response that may include:

• An approved accommodation, with next steps for implementation
• A modified accommodation, offering an equally effective alternative
• A denial, if no reasonable accommodation can be identified; in such cases, a protected leave of absence may be offered as an alternative accommodation

The accommodation team and your department will work with you to put any approved changes in place. Some accommodations may require coordination across multiple units (e.g., space planning, technology, or scheduling). Information about a reasonable accommodation is only shared on a need-to-know basis. It is not placed in personnel files and will not be shared with coworkers. If a change affects how others work, they may be informed of the change—but not the reason behind it.

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Are accommodations temporary or permanent?

Most disability accommodations at UW are approved on an ongoing basis—they are not expected to expire or be revisited unless something changes.

That said, accommodations can be reviewed at any time if there are concerns about their effectiveness, reasonableness, or impact on job functions. This allows flexibility if the nature of the role changes, the employee’s medical condition or accommodation needs change, or a department raises specific concerns.

When are accommodations typically temporary?

• When the medical condition is clearly short-term (like a broken arm)
• When the provider’s documentation includes an end date or time-limited recommendation
• When a department agrees to implement with a defined review period

In those cases, we may set a review date—but even then, we’ll revisit the accommodation with care and collaboration, not remove it without discussion.

If you’re not sure how long your accommodation will last, or you’re being told it’s only temporary, you can always reach out to the Leave and Accommodation Team or the Disability Services Office for clarification.

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Need help along the way?

If you have questions or experience delays or concerns at any stage:

• Staff, academic personnel and student employees can contact their Leave and Accommodation Team specialist or departmental HR office
• Faculty can contact the Disability Services Office
• All employees may also consult the ADA/Section 504 Compliance Office for support or guidance

Next: What to expect after you submit a request

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