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Your Right to Reasonable
Accommodation
ADA Coordinators
EEO Officers
A state employee with a disability has the right to request reasonable accommodation in
connection with his or her job. The federal Americans with Disabilities Act and the
Illinois Human Rights Act prohibit job discrimination based on disability and require an
employer to reasonably accommodate the functional limitations of otherwise qualified
applicants and employees with disabilities. A variety of physical or mental disabilities
that "substantially limit a major life activity" are covered by these laws.
What is Reasonable Accommodation?
"Reasonable accommodation" means a modification to job site, job schedule, or
job process that would enable a person with a disability to perform a given position. The
reasonable accommodation requirement is broad, and different accommodations may be needed
for different individuals, different disabilities, and different jobs. Examples of
accommodations include provision of equipment, modified work schedules, physical
modification of the work site, job restructuring (which means reassignment of
non-essential job duties), and provision of readers or interpreters. Employers are not
required to provide accommodations when they would impose "undue hardship" on
the operation of business. "Undue hardship" is a flexible concept that includes
consideration of the number of people employed and the cost of the accommodation.
Making a Reasonable Accommodation Request
Although procedures differ among the various state agencies, each agency has a
reasonable accommodation procedure and request form. If you need accommodation of some
sort, it is your duty to request it. You can initiate a request with the agency Equal
Employment Opportunity (EEO) Officer or the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Coordinator. If the names of these individuals in your agency are not indicated below, ask
your supervisor for the information. The EEO Officer or ADA Coordinator should be able to
explain your agency's procedure to you. If you or your agency needs assistance in
identifying appropriate accommodations, you can call the Job Accommodation Network, at
1-800-526-7234 (V/TTY), or the Disability Research Network, at 1-800-447-4221 (V/TTY).
If You Have Been Discriminated Against
If you believe you have been discriminated against in regards to an accommodation
request, you have the right to file a charge with the Illinois Department of Human Rights
at these locations: Chicago
Department of Human Rights
James R. Thompson Center
100 West Randolph Street, Suite 10-100
Chicago, Illinois 60601
(312) 814-6200
(312) 263-1579 (TDD)
Springfield
222 South College, Floor 1
Springfield, Illinois 62704
(217) 785-5100
(217) 785-5125 (TDD)
Marion
Marion State Regional Office Building
2309 W. Main Street, Suite 112
Marion, IL 62959
(618) 993-7463
For Discrimination in Housing
1-800-662-3942
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