REQUESTING REASONABLE ACCOMMODATION. An applicant for employment may request an RA, either orally or in writing, from any EPA employee authorized to interact with the applicant in the application process, the NRAC or the LORAC. An employee, or an individual acting on behalf of the employee, may request an RA either orally or in writing, from his/her supervisor, another supervisor in his/her immediate chain of command, or the RAC. When an RA request is made by a third parry on behalf of an individual, the Agency official processing the request should confirm the individual's authority to represent the employee with a disability. An RA request is a statement that an employee needs an adjustment or change in the work environment and/or in the ways things are customarily done, or that an applicant needs a change in the application process for a reason related to a condition or limitation of a qualified disability. The process begins as soon as any request for a workplace RA is made by an individual and ends when either a final decision to deny the request is rendered or the accommodation has been approved. To request an accommodation, an employee may use "plain English" and does not need to mention the ADA nor use the phrases "reasonable accommodation," "disability" or "Rehabilitation Act." In many cases, employees ask for workplace RAs using Language from EPA- Flexiplace, Voluntary Leave Bank or other Family Friendly programs. Although specific NRAP language is not used, some of these requests may be bona-fide requests for reasonable accommodation and must be clarified by the X-X whether it is, in fact, an RA request or not. The X-X must use the interactive process to review relevant portions of the NRAP with the employee to get employee input on whether the request is for a RA or another Agency program. If after discussion there is some doubt about the request it is advised the X-X and employee consult with the LORAC or NRAC immediately for assistance in making this determination, and document the determination and discussions using either a Confirmation of Request for RA or a Final RA Decision form. An applicant or employee with a disability may request an RA whenever s/he believes accommodation is warranted. Such a request does not require that the applicant or employee have previously disclosed the existence of a disability. The RAC is available to provide D-Ms and employees with further information or assistance in connection with requesting or processing an RA request.
