Glossary

The capability of being used. Handbook RE-4, Standards for Facility Accessibility by the Physically Handicapped, presently provides that, “Where handicapped persons are employed in existing postal facilities, or where their employment is imminent, applicable employee work areas must be altered in compliance with (accessibility) standards…”

Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA)

The Americans with Disabilities Act is civil rights legislation which prohibits discrimination based upon a person's disabilities. It covers the private sector and state and local governments. The ADA requires such entities to accommodate individuals with disabilities in all phases of government services, public accommodations, transportation, and employment.

bona fide job offer

An offer made to an applicant selected either competitively or noncompetitively after having met the overall eligibility and personal suitability requirements.

Code of Federal
Regulations (CFR)

A codification of the rules published in the Federal Register by executive departments and agencies of the federal government. Postal regulations are found in 39 CFR.

collective bargaining
agreements

Also referred to as National Agreements or Contracts, these are the Postal Service–wide binding terms and conditions agreed upon by the Postal Service and labor unions.

competitive
employment process

The consideration and selection of individuals from a hiring register established as the result of rankings achieved on a competitive entrance examination.

direct threat

A significant risk of substantial harm to the safety or health of the person or others that cannot be eliminated by reasonable accommodation.

disability

A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities of an individual.

disability retirement

An application for annuity filed by an employee claiming permanent, total disability for his or her job.

Division or Department
of Vocational
Rehabilitation (DVR)

State offices providing rehabilitation assistance for individuals with disabilities.

Equal Employment
Opportunity
Commission (EEOC)

A federal commission that works to provide equal opportunities for all personnel in employment, training, assignment, promotion, and job security without discrimination owing to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or physical or mental disability.

essential functions

The major tasks that must be accomplished on a specific job. They are tasks that, if performed incorrectly or omitted by the individual, will result in failure to attain the basic purpose of the job. Other factors to consider are the amount of time a satisfactory individual normally spends performing the function, whether the function is uniformly performed by incumbents, the past experience of job holders, the degree of skills and abilities needed to perform the function (see 222). Essential functions may vary from one installation to another for specific jobs with the same job title and occupation code.

Family and Medical
Leave Act (FMLA)

The federal law that requires covered employers to provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave to eligible employees for certain family and medical reasons. Employees are generally eligible if they have worked for at least 1 year and for 1,250 hours over the previous 12 months.

Federal Employees'
Compensation Act

The Federal Employees' Compensation Act is a law which provides compensation benefits to civilian employees of the United States for disability (FECA) due to personal injury (including occupational disease) sustained while in the performance of duty. Damage to or destruction of medical braces, artificial limbs, and other prosthetic devices incidental to a personal injury is also compensable. The FECA also provides for the payment of benefits to dependents if job-related injury or disease causes the employee's death.

impairments.

See physical or mental impairments.

job restructuring

Altering a job in a fashion that enables a qualified person with a disability to perform the essential functions.

light duty

Work, as defined in a specific collective bargaining agreement, provided to an employee who is unable to perform the full duties of his or her job due to a non-work-related injury or illness.

major life activities

Functions such as, but not limited to (see 141.2) caring for one's self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, and working.

medical assessment

Preemployment medical examination, medical assessment questionnaire process, or additional information to identify an individual's ability to perform the functions of the job in question without endangering the health and safety of the individual or others.

noncompetitive
employment process

The Postal Service's structured procedure for hiring and placement of qualified persons outside the competitive process (see competitive employment process) e.g., persons with severe disabilities evaluated, certified, and referred by state DVR or VA for employment consideration.

physical or mental
impairments

(1) Any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting one or more of the following body systems: neurological, musculoskeletal, special sense organs, cardiovascular, reproductive, digestive, genito-urinary, hemic, and lymphatic, skin, and endocrine; or (2) any mental or psychological disorder, such as mental retardation, organic brain syndrome, emotional or mental illness, and specific learning disabilities.

qualified individuals
with a disability

With respect to employment, an individual with a disability who, with or without reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of the job in question without endangering the health and safety of the individual or others. A qualified individual with a disability is required to perform at a level comparable to that of other employees.

reasonable
accommodation

An adjustment or modification to the facility, environment, equipment, testing situation, or policy, or to the nonessential functions of the particular job, which will allow the qualified individual with a disability to perform the essential functions of that job.

Rehabilitation Act
of 1973

The Rehabilitation Act prohibits discrimination against qualified employees and job applicants with disabilities in the federal government. The act also requires that federal employers provide reasonable accommodation to such individuals in order to allow them to perform the essential functions of their job. Accommodations are not required when they impose an undue hardship on the employer or endanger the health and safety of the individual or others.

restrictions

See work restrictions.

restructuring

See job restructuring.

risk assessment

The identification of physical or mental restrictions or limitations of the individual, and the degree of risk for further illness or injury within the next 6 months. It may suggest job modifications or accommodations that would reduce individual risk and allow performance of the essential functions of the job in a safe manner.

substantially limits

An impairment rendering the individual either unable to perform a major life activity or significantly restricted in performing the activity as compared to the average person's ability to perform the activity.

targeted disabilities

Disabilities targeted by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) for emphasis in affirmative action program planning. The disabilities and the codes that represent them are as follows: 16 and 17 (deafness), 23 and 25 (blindness), 28 and 32 through 38 (missing extremities), 64 through 68 (partial paralysis), 71 through 78 (complete paralysis), 82 (convulsive disorders), 90 (mental retardation), 91 (mental illness), and 92 (distortion of limbs and/or spine).

undue hardship

The Postal Service is required to make reasonable accommodation to known physical and mental limitations of a qualified individual with a disability unless the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation to which individuals with disabilities are assigned. Factors to be considered in determining undue hardship are as follows: (1) the overall size of the operation with respect to the number of employees, number and type of facilities, and size of budget; (2) the type of operation, including composition and structure of the workforce; and (3) the nature and cost of the accommodation.

Department of Veterans
Affairs (VA)

An agency of the federal government, formerly called the Veterans Administration, serving the needs of former members of the United States armed forces.

work restrictions

Specific functions that a person with a disability should not perform (e.g., no heavy lifting over 50 pounds).