HF3319

Purpose of the Bill

The purpose of this bill is to ensure that employers provide specific processes and documentation when dealing with reasonable accommodation requests from employees with known disabilities. This aims to support workers with disabilities in receiving necessary accommodations to perform their jobs effectively.

Main Provisions

• Job Accommodation Request Form: The bill mandates employers, employment agencies, and labor organizations to provide a formal job accommodation request form to employees or job applicants who disclose a disability requiring accommodation.
• Interactive Process: Employers must initiate an informal, interactive process with the person requesting accommodation. This process will help identify the limitations caused by the disability and explore potential reasonable accommodations.
• Reasonable Accommodation Examples: Potential accommodations could include making facilities accessible, job restructuring, modified work schedules, reassigning to vacant positions, acquiring or modifying equipment, or providing temporary aides.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Requirement for a Form: The bill introduces a requirement for a formalized accommodation request form, which did not exist previously.
• Creation and Availability of Forms: It requires the commissioner to create and distribute a standard job accommodation request form, which must be used by employers, agencies, and organizations in the interactive process.

Relevant Terms

• Reasonable accommodation
• Disability
• Job accommodation request form
• Interactive process
• Undue hardship