Disability accommodation process: manager’s role
Table of Contents
Taking action on employee accommodation requests or questions
Last updated: January 29, 2025
Overview
Whether you supervise faculty, staff or student employees, UW managers play an instrumental role in the accommodation process. You are often the first person an employee notifies that they might be in need of a disability accommodation.
While you don’t need to be an expert in accommodation, it’s essential for you to be familiar with the University’s disability accommodation policy and know how to respond when an employee brings a concern to your attention. Your openness and support can make a big difference, guiding employees to the right resources when they need them.
Key concept
A “reasonable accommodation” is a modification or adjustment made to a work environment, task or procedure that enables an employee with a temporary or ongoing disability to perform the essential functions of their job. Changing “the way things are usually done” in the workplace allows employees with a disability to perform all the essential functions of the job and have an equal opportunity to be successful.
Taking action on employee accommodation requests or questions
When an employee reaches out about accommodations:
- Listen attentively and respond with empathy to their concerns.
- Do not ask questions about their medical condition or disability.
- Share the DSO’s Disability Accommodation for Employees webpage with your employee via email and copy the applicable accommodation consultant listed in the table below.
- Familiarize yourself with the UW‘s disability accommodation process by watching the on-demand training, Disability Accommodation: The Manager’s Role.
Determining your designated UW accommodation consultant
| Requesting employee | Assigned UW accommodation consultant | How to reach them |
|---|---|---|
| Contract-covered academic personnel | Your department's UWHR Human Resources consultant | Find your department on HR contact by organization |
| Non-contract covered academic personnel (including faculty) | Disability Services Office (DSO) | Email dso@uw.edu or call (206) 543-6450 |
| Medical Centers staff | Your assigned Medical Center's leave/accommodation specialist | Select UW Medical Human Resources - Leave Management at hr.uw.edu/contact-us/or call 206-598-6116 |
| UW Facilities staff | UW Facilities HR managers | UW Facilities Partner Resources |
| All other staff, ASEs student employees | Your department's UWHR Human Resources consultant | Find your department on HR contact by organization |