Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) Accommodation Process
The University of Massachusetts Amherst is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for qualified individuals with disabilities. The following outlines the ADA accommodation process in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and related federal and state laws.
The Accommodation Request Form may be completed by either an employee requesting accommodations for themselves or a supervisor submitting on behalf of an employee. A single submission can include all needed accommodation requests; separate forms are not required for each accommodation.
Required fields in the form are marked by a red asterisk, and the form cannot be submitted until all required fields are filled.
Contact Information
When starting the online form, select whether you are completing the request for yourself or another employee.
Selecting yourself will automatically fill in the required fields for employee first name, last name, and UMass Email. The phone number and department will need to be typed in.
If a manager is filling out the form for an employee, they will need to type in the employee’s first name, last name, UMass email, phone number, and department.
Accommodation Being Requested
The “Accommodation being requested” field should be used to list all the accommodations being requested by the employee. Please use a separate line for each. The field allows for 10000 characters and will expand as text is added.
How Will That Accommodation Assist You in Your Job
The "How will that accommodation assist you in your job field” should be used to provide a brief explanation of how the requested accommodations will allow the employee to perform the essential functions of their job. The limit for the field is 400 characters.
Have You Previously Received a Workplace Accommodation at UMass Amherst
The question “Have you previously received a workplace accommodation at UMass Amherst?” is a yes or no select. If no is selected, proceed to the next question. If yes is selected, please use the additional text field to describe the previous accommodation.
Medical Documentation
Use the “Choose File” button to search for files saved to your computer and attach medical documentation if needed. Please only attach the following file formats: PDFs, DOCX word documents, or JPEG images. Only attach medical information that is required and directly related to the request. If an incorrect document is added, use the “Remove” option. Files must be attached one at a time. If more than one file needs to be included, use the option to “Upload another file”. If you do not have medical documentation, it can be submitted later using a secure link from HR.
Submitting the Form
Once you have completed all required fields, use the “Submit” button to complete the form.
If any required fields were not completed, the form will not be submitted, and the missed fields will have the text “This field is required” listed underneath.
After a form is successfully submitted, you will see a confirmation page saying that you will receive an email shortly with your case number and details for further communication.
Confirmation Email
The confirmation email will contain the case number for the request, the date the form was submitted, and a link to upload additional supporting medical documents. The Employee Accommodations and Absence Support (EAAS) team can also be contacted by replying to the message.
Supplemental Form for Additional Documentation
To add additional supporting medical documentation after submitting your case, use the link provided in your confirmation email.
The supplemental form will automatically have your name and the case number filled in. Use the “Choose File” button to browse your computer and attach a document. If you need to attach more than one document, use the “Add another response” option. If you add a file in error, use the “Remove” option.
After attaching your files, click the “Submit” button at the bottom of the form.
Email Notification of Completed Review of Request
Once the EAAS team has completed an interactive meeting with your department and finished reviewing your request, you will receive an email with a link to view the status of your requested accommodations.
At the top of the page, you’ll see your name, case number, email address, and the accommodations you requested.
Each accommodation will appear in its own section, with details about its status.
If an accommodation was denied, you have the option to appeal the decision within 10 business days of receiving the notice.
If you select “Yes” to appeal the decision for this accommodation, you must provide a written explanation. Acceptable reasons may include new or previously unavailable medical documentation, a procedural issue that may have affected the decision, or a concern that the outcome did not align with ADA requirements or University policy.
Additional documentation can be attached to support an appeal of denied accommodations. Use the “Choose file” option to attach additional files, such as previously unavailable medical documentation. The “Add another file” option should be used if more than one document relates to the appealed accommodation.
After completing all “Reason for Appeal” fields and attaching any new supporting documentation, select “Submit” to create a new appeal case. You can expect to receive written determination within approximately 10-15 business days.
