Requiring Federal Agencies To Establish Procedures To Facilitate the Provision of Reasonable Accommodation
Agencies Must Establish Procedures for Disability Accommodations in Federal Employment
What it does
Federal agencies must create written procedures to process accommodation requests and submit them to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Real-world impact
- Requires agencies to process accommodation requests and provide written decisions.
- May lead to job reassignments when other accommodations cannot allow current duties.
- Creates recordkeeping and medical confidentiality duties for agency personnel systems.
Topics
Summary
This order requires each federal agency to write clear procedures for processing requests for reasonable accommodation by job applicants and employees with disabilities. Procedures must explain how to request accommodations, set prompt decision time limits, protect medical privacy, allow reassignment when needed, and provide written denials.
The order affects people applying for federal jobs, current federal employees with disabilities, agency staff, and bargaining representatives. Agencies must send procedures to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) within one year, and the EEOC will issue guidance within 90 days. The goal is fair, faster, and more consistent accommodation decisions.
Questions, answered
Ask questions about this executive order and its implications. Try:
- “What agencies are affected by this order?”
- “How does this order change existing policy?”
- “What are the practical implications of this order?”