Accommodations
EOC assists employees and students with religious accommodation requests, employees and applicants for employment with disability accommodation requests, as well as students and applicants with pregnancy and parenting accommodation requests. EOC also offers training and consulting services to address any questions or accessibility needs.
- Americans with Disabilities Training:Through this training, EOC provides employees and supervisors alike with important details about the University’s Reasonable Accommodations in Employment Policy, the process for requesting accommodations, the responsibilities of supervisors who manage employees with accommodations, and helpful resources. The session also provides an overview of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA).
Learn more about ADA Training - Empowering Carolina: Each year, EOC collaborates with campus and community partners to host an event to raise awareness about resources and accommodations available for University employees and students. The program features a keynote speaker and several track sessions.
Learn more about Empowering Carolina - Custom Training: If your department is interested in a session on disability or religious accommodations, EOC staff can custom create content to meet your needs.
Learn more about Custom Training
Accommodations for Participants at University Programs, Events, Seminars, or Conferences:
University departments host conferences, seminars, lectures and other events every day that are open to students, employees, and visitors. The Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 require the University to ensure that all sponsored events are accessible to individuals with disabilities. EOC staff or staff in Accessibility, Resources and Services can meet with you to address questions you may have as you prepare for your event.
Event sponsors should make every effort to ensure that the activity is scheduled in a University facility that is accessible. Sponsors should begin planning early to ensure that the preferred facility is available on the proposed date of the event. Event sponsors are required to provide services and accommodations for participants who have self-identified as having a disability. Services include (but are not limited to) interpreters and captioning for hearing impaired individuals and note takers and/or tapes for visually impaired individuals. The cost for these services is the responsibility of the event sponsor. Interpreter services for hearing impaired individuals participating in University sponsored activities may be difficult to arrange on short notice. Requests should be made 48 hours in advance of the event.
We also recommend that all event registration information should include a statement that asks participants about accessibility needs such as – “Please let us know as soon as possible if you need any accommodations or services to participate in this event.”
For additional assistance, contact the Director of Equal Opportunity and ADA Coordinator, Tiffany Bailey.
How it Works
EOC oversees the University’s ADA Reasonable Accommodations in Employment Policy, which is the policy that outlines requirements for disability accommodations and how to request accommodations for employees and applicants for employment. On average, it takes 30 days to complete a request. The employee or applicant is responsible for requesting the accommodation and submitting required forms to EOC. EOC staff will work with the employee and supervisors to determine whether a reasonable accommodation can be provided.
View the policy, find out about how to request an accommodation, and learn more about the confidentiality of the request
Students seeking disability accommodations should contact Accessibility, Resources and Service.
Funds for Equipment
EOC manages a central fund that is available to assist departments and units in purchasing services and/or equipment for employees as part of an accommodations request. Supporting documentation is required for purchases to be made.
Equipment purchased from this fund for any employee must be recommended by his or her physician or other health care provider and must be approved by EOC as part of a request for disability accommodations. The Documentation of Disability Form that is submitted to EOC as part of the accommodations request must include information from the employee’s physician and/or health care provider indicating the specific item(s) to be purchased. The physician or other health care provider’s statement will be retained by EOC in a confidential file.
EOC should be informed immediately upon receipt of the equipment and/or the beginning of the provision of services. This will ensure prompt payment to authorized vendors.
The central fund can be used to purchase all required modifications to chairs and computers to accommodate employees with disabilities; however, the fund does not cover the cost of purchasing chairs and computers for employees with disabilities. These items are considered standard pieces of equipment used by most employees to perform their assigned duties and are purchased for all employees.
All equipment purchased through this account becomes part of the University’s central inventory. The employee may use the equipment as long as they remain employed by the University, which includes transfers between units. Our office should be notified immediately when an employee no longer requires the equipment, transfers between departments, or leaves the University. The unit in which the employee is assigned is responsible for transferring the equipment to EOC when its use is no longer required.
Access the Documentation of Disability Form
If you have any questions, contact the Director of Equal Opportunity and ADA Coordinator, Tiffany Bailey.
EOC supports the University’s commitment to provide reasonable religious accommodations for employees and students that enable them to exercise sincerely-held religious beliefs or practices unless doing so imposes an undue hardship on the University. The University has adopted a new Religious Accommodations Policy. Employees should contact Becci Menghini, Vice Chancellor, Division of Human Resources and Equal Opportunity and Compliance to request an accommodation. Supervisors may also contact the office for assistance with employee requests for religious accommodations. Students should consult the University’s Class Attendance Policy for information about religious observances required by a student’s faith and should contact EOC if they have any questions or needs. For more information, please visit our Religion-Related Resources and Programs page.
The Policy on Pregnancy and Parenting Students prohibits discrimination and harassment against a Student or Applicant1 based on Pregnancy and Related Medical Conditions and discrimination or harassment based on sex or gender related to a Student or Applicant’s actual or potential parental status pursuant to the University’s Policy on Prohibited Discrimination, Harassment and Related Misconduct and Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and the accompanying regulations.
After an accommodation has been approved, EOC will periodically check in with the employee to determine whether their needs are being met. If the employee needs to extend the length of time permitted for an accommodation, the employee should contact the Director of Equal Opportunity and ADA Coordinator, Tiffany Bailey.
It is important to know that the University prohibits discrimination and harassment based on protected status, including disability. Discrimination under the University’s Policy on Prohibited Discrimination, Harassment and Related Misconduct includes failing to provide reasonable accommodations, consistent with state and federal law, to a qualified person with a disability. EOC also oversees this policy.
View more information about the University’s Policy on Prohibited Discrimination, Harassment and Related Misconduct
View more information about the University’s Religious Accommodation Policy
Employees and students working in agencies that require COVID-19 or flu vaccinations may request exemptions. Click here to access the forms.
The Equal Opportunity and Compliance Office has launched a new online form to better address access concerns across the Carolina campus. Play the video below for step-by-step instructions on using this new tool!
- JAN: The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) is a resource that provides free and confidential information about workplace accommodations and disability employment issues. JAN’s consultants offer individual guidance on workplace accommodations, as well as the ADA and related legislation. Assistance is provided via phone and online. Visit JAN
- Facilities Services: Contact staff in Facilities Services if you have questions about the accessibility of University buildings.
- Access to Battle Hall, Vance Hall, Pettigrew Hall, and Coates Building: View information about accessing these buildings on campus.
- University’s Animals on Campus Policy: Learn more about the University’s policy on assistance animals for individuals with disabilities.
Additional questions or concerns about accessibility?
Contact Tiffany BaileyAre you a student or employee in need of information about interim protective measures (e.g., no contact orders, academic accommodations, changes to housing, changes to work schedules)?
Learn more about resources and support