Section 508
NOTICE OF RIGHTS
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires that the federal government develop, procure, maintain, and use information and communication technology (ICT) that is accessible to individuals with disabilities. Under Section 508, the Postal Service must ensure, absent an undue burden, that ICT allows employees and applicants access to and use of information and data that is comparable to the access and use by employees or applicants who are not individuals with disabilities.
No employee may be subject to retaliation for opposing a practice made unlawful by Section 508 or for participating in any stage of the administrative or judicial proceedings under the statute.
COMPLAINT PROCEDURES
Any employee or applicant with a disability who believes ICT is inaccessible to her or him may file an informal complaint. If the employee or applicant is not satisfied with the response to the informal complaint, then she or he may file a formal complaint.
Informal Complaint. To initiate the informal process, an employee must inform her or his postal manager orally or in writing of the alleged discrimination or inaccessibility of Postal Service programs, activities, or ICT. An applicant must inform the selecting official of her or his allegations. If the matter cannot be resolved within 30 days of its receipt by the postal manager or official, the complainant should receive an interim report explaining the complaint's status. The appropriate area or functional vice president within the Postal Service will send a written decision to the complainant detailing the disposition of the informal complaint.
Formal Complaint. If an informal complaint denies relief, the complainant may then file a formal complaint within 30 days of the date the complainant receives the informal-complaint decision. Formal complaints must be sent to the Manager, Consumer Advocate at the following address:
Manager, Consumer AdvocateUnited States Postal Service
475 L'Enfant Plaza SW
Washington, DC 20260
The Vice President and Consumer Advocate will notify the complainant of the results of the investigation of the formal complaint through a written decision stating whether relief is being granted and the reasons for that decision.
The full procedures for filing a complaint under Section 508 are provided in 39 C.F.R. 255.6.
CONTACT INFORMATION
The following Postal Service employee is responsible for ensuring that the ICT purchased, maintained, or used by the Postal Service is readily accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities:
Section 508 Agency CoordinatorIT Solutions Architecture
475 L'Enfant Plaza SW
Washington, D.C. 20260-1862
E-mail: Section508@usps.gov
Complaints cannot be filed with the Section 508 Agency Coordinator. Employees must follow the procedures summarized above.