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Scope

All employees

Policy Statement

Syracuse University does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of his or her physical or mental disability, as state and federal law define those terms. The University has a policy of employing, advancing in employment, and otherwise treating qualified individuals with disabilities without discrimination based on their physical or mental disabilities in all University employment practices. It is the University's policy that all employment decisions should be based on valid job requirements.

The Office of Human Resources is responsible for the implementation of The Americans with Disabilities Act ("ADA") (1990 federal law enacted, with implementation by 1992); the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Amended; and the New York Human Rights Law (enacted 1945, with subsequent amendments including the Reasonable Accommodation amendment, January 1998) for Syracuse University job applicants and employees. The ADA, the Rehabilitation Act, and the New York Human Rights Law protect qualified individuals with disabilities from employment discrimination. Under these laws an individual with a disability is a person who has:

• A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more life activities (e.g., walking, seeing, speaking, hearing, breathing, learning, performing manual tasks, caring for oneself); or
• A physical, mental or medical impairment resulting from anatomical, physiological, genetic or neurological conditions which prevents the exercise of a normal bodily function or is demonstrable by medically accepted clinical or laboratory diagnosis techniques; or
• Has a record of such an impairment; or
• Is regarded as having such an impairment.

The law and regulations define "qualified" as "a person who satisfies the requisite skill, experience, education and other job-related requirements of the employment position such individual holds or desires, and who, with or without reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of the position."

Reasonable Accommodation

The University makes reasonable accommodations to the known physical and mental disabilities of otherwise qualified disabled individuals unless such an accommodation would impose an undue hardship. A reasonable accommodation is a modification or adjustment to a job, the work environment, or the way things usually are done that enables a qualified individual with a disability to enjoy an equal employment opportunity. An equal employment opportunity means an opportunity to attain the same level of performance or to enjoy equal benefits and privileges of employment as are available to a similarly situated employee or applicant without a disability. The University also protects applicants and employees from coercion, harassment, threats, intimidation or discrimination for filing a complaint or assisting in an investigation. The University will adhere to all applicable laws and standards governing disability discrimination and reasonable accommodations.

Policy Administration

• Human Resources

Links to Procedures and Related Information

• Non-Discrimination and Anti-Harassment in Employment
• Non-Discrimination and Equal Opportunity Policy Statement
• Non-Discrimination, Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action
• Non-Discrimination on the Basis of Disability Policy Statement
• Non-Discrimination/Students with Disabilities Policy
• Reasonable Accommodation Process

Date: 1973
Amended: 1990, 2006