{"id":618,"date":"2023-10-27T08:03:55","date_gmt":"2023-10-27T15:03:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/dso\/?page_id=618"},"modified":"2026-07-07T12:37:46","modified_gmt":"2026-07-07T19:37:46","slug":"managers","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/dso\/managers\/","title":{"rendered":"Disability accommodation process: manager&#8217;s role"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 ez-toc-wrap-left counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"cursor:pointer\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #000000;color:#000000\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #000000;color:#000000\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/dso\/managers\/#Overview\" >Overview<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/dso\/managers\/#Key-concept\" >Key concept<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/dso\/managers\/#Taking-action-on-employee-accommodation-requests-or-questions\" >Taking action on employee accommodation requests or questions<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/dso\/managers\/#Determining-your-designated-UW-accommodations-specialist\" >Determining your designated UW accommodations specialist<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/dso\/managers\/#Roles-and-responsibilities\" >Roles and responsibilities<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/dso\/managers\/#Resources\" >Resources<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/dso\/managers\/#Video-Disability-Accommodation-The-Managers-Role\" >Video: Disability Accommodation: The Manager&#8217;s Role<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Overview\"><\/span>Overview<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Whether you supervise faculty, staff or student employees, UW managers play an instrumental role in the accommodation process. You are often the first person an employee notifies that they might be in need of a disability accommodation.<\/p>\n<p>While you don&#8217;t need to be an expert in accommodation, it&#8217;s essential for you to be familiar with the University&#8217;s disability accommodation policy and know how to respond when an employee brings a concern to your attention. Your openness and support can make a big difference, guiding employees to the right resources when they need them.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key-concept\"><\/span>Key concept<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>A &#8220;reasonable accommodation&#8221; is a modification or adjustment made to a work environment, task or procedure that enables an employee with a temporary or ongoing disability to perform the essential functions of their job. Changing \u201cthe way things are usually done\u201d in the workplace allows employees with a disability to perform all the essential functions of the job and have an equal opportunity to be successful.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Taking-action-on-employee-accommodation-requests-or-questions\"><\/span>Taking action on employee accommodation requests or questions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>When an employee reaches out about accommodations:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Listen attentively and respond with empathy to their concerns.<\/li>\n<li>Do not ask questions about their medical condition or disability.<\/li>\n<li>Share the DSO&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/dso\/employee\/\">Disability Accommodation for UW Employees webpage<\/a> with your employee via email and copy the applicable accommodation consultant listed in the table below.<\/li>\n<li>Familiarize yourself with the UW\u2018s disability accommodation process by watching the on-demand training, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=FPEXrA_Dw0A\"><em>Disability Accommodation: The Manager&#8217;s Role<\/em><\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Determining-your-designated-UW-accommodations-specialist\"><\/span>Determining your designated UW accommodations specialist<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<table id=\"tablepress-1\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-1\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1\">\n<th class=\"column-1\">Requesting employee<\/th>\n<th class=\"column-2\">Assigned UW accommodation specialist<\/th>\n<th class=\"column-3\">How to reach them<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"row-striping row-hover\">\n<tr class=\"row-2\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">Faculty<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">Disability Services Office (DSO)<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-3\">Email <a href=\"mailto:dso@uw.edu\">dso@uw.edu<\/a> or call (206) 543-6450<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">Medical Centers staff<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">Your assigned Medical Center's leave and accommodation specialist<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-3\">Select \"UW Medical Human Resources - Leave Management\" from <a href=\"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/contact-us\/\">contact us<\/a> or call 206-598-6116<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">UW Facilities staff<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">UW Facilities HR managers<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-3\"><a href=\"https:\/\/facilities.uw.edu\/partner-resources\/about\/contacts\">UW Facilities Partner Resources<\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5\">\n<td class=\"column-1\">All other employees, including student employees<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-2\">Your unit's UWHR leave and accommodation specialist<\/td>\n<td class=\"column-3\">Find your campus <a href=\"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/contact-us\/leave-specialists\/\">leave and accommodation specialist<\/a>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Roles-and-responsibilities\"><\/span>Roles and responsibilities<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>A successful accommodation process requires shared responsibility:<\/p>\n<p><strong>Employees<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Initiate the request and participate in good faith<\/li>\n<li>Provide timely documentation and information about how their condition impacts their work<\/li>\n<li>Attend scheduled meetings and communicate openly about their needs and how they might be met<\/li>\n<li>Monitor the effectiveness of accommodations and inform their manager if their needs change<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Leave and Accommodation Teams \/ Disability Services Office (DSO)<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Facilitate the interactive process of needs and possible solutions<\/li>\n<li>Coordinate communication between the employee and department<\/li>\n<li>Maintain confidentiality of medical information and advise on reasonable accommodations<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Employing Unit (Manager\/Department)<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Promptly refer requests<\/strong> to the Leave and Accommodations Team or DSO if an employee discloses a need for accommodation<\/li>\n<li>Contribute information about the essential job functions, workplace environment and operational needs of the unit<\/li>\n<li>Participate in good faith working in partnership with Leave &amp; Accommodation\/DSO to identify viable options<\/li>\n<li>Must not deny or alter an accommodation request without first consulting with Leave &amp; Accommodation or DSO<\/li>\n<li><strong>Maintain <\/strong>easonable accommodation information may only be shared on a need-to-know basis, will never go in a personnel file, and will not be shared with coworkers. Co-workers who may need to do something differently as a result of an accommodation may be told of the change but not the reasons why the change was made.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Implement approved accommodations<\/strong> in collaboration with the employee and the Leave and Accommodations Team \/.<\/li>\n<li>Monitor implemented accommodation(s) to make sure they remain effective for the employee.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Resources\"><\/span>Resources<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/policies\/disability-accommodation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Disability accommodation policy and procedure<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/dso\/employee\/\">Disability accommodation for UW employees<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/uwnetid.sharepoint.com\/sites\/uwhr_web_document_library\/Shared Documents\/managers-role-disability-accommodation-20250430-a11y.pdf\">Manager&#8217;s role in disability accommodation one sheet (PDF)<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Video-Disability-Accommodation-The-Managers-Role\"><\/span>Video: Disability Accommodation: The Manager&#8217;s Role<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Disability Accommodation: The Manager&amp;apos;s Role\" width=\"720\" height=\"405\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/FPEXrA_Dw0A?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>It&#8217;s essential for managers to be familiar with the University&#8217;s disability accommodation policy and know how to respond when an employee brings a concern to your attention.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":15,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"no","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"class_list":["post-618","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/dso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/618","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/dso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/dso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/dso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/49"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/dso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=618"}],"version-history":[{"count":30,"href":"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/dso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/618\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1084,"href":"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/dso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/618\/revisions\/1084"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/dso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=618"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hr.uw.edu\/dso\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=618"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}