Accommodation Process for Employment
The Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to the known physical or mental limitations of qualified applicants or employees with disabilities unless it can be shown that the accommodations would impose an undue hardship on the Department.
Specifically, the Department provides reasonable accommodations to ensure equal opportunity in the application process, to enable a qualified individual with a disability to perform the essential functions of a job, and to enable an employee with a disability to enjoy equal benefits and privileges of employment.
Supervisors should contact Amy Valentine, ADA Coordinator, at (501) 324-9065 for assistance in processing a reasonable accommodation request.
Together, the supervisor and the ADA Coordinator will review the request with the otherwise qualified applicant or employee with the disability to determine the most appropriate action. Full consideration will be given to the applicant's or employee's recommendations. The goal is to provide reasonable accommodations that reduce barriers to employment related to disability.
It should be understood that the Department cannot make an accommodation when it is unaware of the need. It is primarily the responsibility of the person with a disability to inform the Department that an accommodation is needed to participate in the application process, to perform essential job functions, or to receive equal benefits and privileges of employment.
When possible, advance notice should be given of the need for an accommodation. Written or verbal notice of the need for an accommodation should be made seventy-two (72) hours in advance of applying or interviewing. A Request for Reasonable Accommodation Form may be obtained and filed through the following office:
DFA Human Resources Section
Suite 101, 1515 Building
1515 West Seventh Street
or by mailing your request to:
P.O. Box 2485
Little Rock, Arkansas 72203
(501) 324-9065.
The Department's intent is to provide reasonable accommodations when possible in a timely manner and to make that decision at the lowest supervisory level. Specifically to identify reasonable accommodations, the supervisor and ADA Coordinator will:
Look at the particular job involved, review its job elements and confirm its purpose and essential functions.
Consult with the individual with a disability to find out his or her specific physical or mental abilities and limitations as they relate to the essential job functions. Identify the barriers to job performance and assess how these barriers could be overcome with an accommodation. If deemed necessary, the Department may request documentation from the individual’s health care provider describing the individual's functional limitations to support the request for an accommodation.
In consultation with the individual, identify potential accommodations and assess how effective each would be in enabling the individual to perform essential job functions.
Consideration will be given to the preference of the individual with a disability.
The ADA Coordinator will review the situation with the appropriate Manager or Administrator and select the accommodation that best serves the needs of the individual and/or the Department.
The applicant or employee may appeal the decision in step 5 to the DFA Deputy Director. The request for an appeal must be in writing stating the reason for the appeal and/or why the accommodation is unacceptable. The appeal must be received by the DFA ADA Coordinator within five (5) working days of receipt of the decision. The DFA Director will render a decision within three (3) working days.
Appeals regarding divisions or offices within the Department should be addressed/mailed to:
Amy Valentine
DFA ADA Coordinator
Office of Administrative Services-Human Resources Section
P. O. Box 2485
Little Rock, Arkansas 72203
(501) 324-9065
The DFA Director or Deputy Director may intervene at any time during this process to facilitate a decision. Under special circumstances, the DFA ADA Coordinator is authorized to modify this process in order to fulfill its intent. If this is necessary, a statement of the changes and reasons will be sent to the applicant or employee and all other involved parties.
Nothing in this policy prohibits an individual with a disability from providing their own accommodation or sharing the cost of the accommodation with the Department upon approval of the appropriate levels of management.
The DFA ADA Coordinator shall maintain the files and records of the Department regarding requests for reasonable accommodation.
Public Complaint Procedure
The Department of Finance and Administration (DFA) adopts this complaint procedure for members of the public, patrons, visitors and applicants. We are committed to providing to the public our services, programs, and activities in a non-discriminatory manner and in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. This complaint procedure provides for prompt and equitable resolution of complaints alleging any action prohibited by the U.S. Department of Justice Regulations implementing Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Title II states, in part, that "No qualified individual with a disability shall, on the basis of disability, be excluded from participation in or be denied the benefits of the services, programs, or activities of a public entity, or be subjected to discrimination by any public entity."
Complaints involving divisions or offices within the Department should be addressed to:
Amy Valentine
DFA ADA Coordinator
Office of Administrative Services-Human Resources Section
P.O. Box 2485
Little Rock, Arkansas 72203
(501) 324-9065
A form for this purpose may be obtained from one of the above referenced contacts or DFA Human Resources, (501) 324-9065.
An investigation, as may be appropriate, shall follow within five (5) working days of a complaint being filed. The investigation shall be conducted by the Department's EEO/Grievance Officer and/or a member of the DFA ADA Self-Evaluation Committee. Investigations, while informal, will be thorough, affording all interested persons and their representatives, if any, an opportunity to submit evidence relevant to the complaint.
A written report of the findings of the investigation, with recommendations, will be submitted to the appropriate levels of management involved and ADA Coordinator, who will review the case and decide the action to be taken. Copies of that decision will be provided to the complainant, EEO/Grievance Officer, appropriate levels of management involved and the DFA ADA Coordinator, and within three (3) working days.
The complainant may appeal the decision to the DFA Director. The DFA ADA Coordinator must receive written notice of the appeal within five (5) working days of receipt of the previous decision. The DFA Director has three (3) working days to render a decision.
The DFA Director or Deputy Director may intervene at any point in the complaint process if he/she feels that his/her direct action is necessary to resolve the complaint. Under special circumstances the DFA ADA Coordinator is authorized to modify these procedures in order to fulfill the intent of the procedure. If this is necessary, a statement of the changes and reasons will be sent to the complainant and all others involved in the process.
The right of a person to a prompt and equitable resolution of the complaint filed hereunder shall not be impaired by the person’s pursuit of other remedies such as filing of an ADA complaint with the responsible federal department or agency. Use of this complaint procedure is not a prerequisite to the pursuit of other remedies.
This entire process shall be constituted to protect the substantial rights of interested persons to meet appropriate due process standards, and to assure that the Department of Finance and Administration complies with the ADA in implementing regulations.
The DFA ADA Coordinator shall maintain the files and records of the Department of Finance and Administration relating to the complaints filed.