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• What is a reasonable accommodation?
• When might an employee need a reasonable accommodation?
• Pregnant and Parenting Employees
  • Pregnant and Parenting Employee Resources
• Information for Employees - Interactive Process for Requesting Reasonable Accommodations
• Support and Service Animals Policy
• Information for Managers

A reasonable accommodation is a change to an application process, work environment, or the way work is customarily performed that enables a disabled or pregnant employee to enjoy equal access. Personal items/devices (e.g., glasses, hearing aids, wheelchairs, etc.) are not considered reasonable accommodations.

If an employee is requesting an accommodation or mentions that their work is being impacted by medical, mental health or kin care issues, please refer them to Human Resources at hr@cca.edu so we can engage in the interactive request process with them. The following are some examples scenarios/statements could be requests for accommodation that would merit a referral to HR.

• “I have exhausted all of my Family Medical Leave (FML), but my doctor has not released me to return to work. I need an additional month of leave.”
• “My doctor has released me to return to work after my shoulder surgery, but I’m unable to lift 20 pounds for the next six weeks.”
• “I recently started using hearing aids, but I am still having trouble hearing sometimes during meetings.”
• “I’m having a hard time making it across campus for meetings because of my arthritis.”
• “Because of some health issues, I’d like to be able to work from home once a week.”

The college is committed to creating an inclusive and accessible environment for pregnant and parenting employees. A number of CCA resources are available for this population (see Resources, below).

Pregnant and parenting employees can often arrange necessary flexibility by working directly with their managers or departments. Alternatively, pregnant employees (including those who are breastfeeding) may request reasonable accommodations through Human Resources. Employees need not affiliate with HR unless they need support in arranging accommodations.

• Lactation Accommodation Policy
• On Campus Lactation Rooms
• Family Friendly Workplace Ordinance - Flexible or Predictable Working Arrangement Request Form
• CCA works with Tristar, our leave administration partner. Tristar is available 6 AM – 6 PM PST, Monday - Friday and offers CCA employees direct access to claims/leave resources and information. Tristar also has a voicemail recording available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week that allows employees to leave a message and a representative from Tristar will return the call within 48 hours. To report a leave of absence, please call (415) 703-9550 and choose Option 3 to speak with an Intake Specialist or email leaves@cca.edu to report your claim/leave.
• Information about San Francisco's Paid Parental Leave Ordinance

Interactive Process for Requesting Reasonable Accommodations

The college strives to create an environment that is accessible and inclusive for all employees. Human Resources (HR) is the primary point of contact for disabled and pregnant employees regarding access barriers and requests for reasonable accommodations.

HR staff are available to speak with employees who would like information about removing barriers to access in the workplace or requesting reasonable accommodations. In some cases, departments may take the initiative to remove barriers to access so that employees do not have to request accommodations.

If a disabled or pregnant employee decides to request an accommodation, they must contact HR at hr@cca.edu or by calling (415) 703-9550. Once submitted, any medical information will be maintained by HR and kept confidential. 

It is the employee’s responsibility to ensure that HR receives requested documentation. If you do not receive confirmation from HR that it has received your documentation within two business days, please email hr@cca.edu. Once received, any medical information will be maintained with HR and kept confidential.

HR will make a determination about whether an employee is eligible for accommodations. If an employee is eligible, HR will engage in an interactive process to determine if the accommodation request is reasonable. HR will consult with the employee, the employee’s manager, and other individuals as appropriate to gather information about the essential functions of the employee’s job and/or whether implementing the accommodation request would pose an undue hardship for the college. Based on the information gathered, HR will make a determination about whether the accommodation requested is reasonable and will communicate its determination in writing to the employee and supervisor.

If an accommodation is determined to be reasonable but it is not implemented by the department in a timely or effective manner, the employee should contact HR as soon as possible.

If an employee is not eligible for reasonable accommodations, HR may partner with a manager or department to identify voluntary and readily achievable means to meet an employee’s request.

Interactive Process for Exploring Accommodations

HR partners with managers to create accessible workplace environments and implement reasonable accommodations for employees. HR is available to consult with supervisors about how to create work environments that are accessible and inclusive for a diverse range of employees, making it less necessary to implement accommodations on an individual basis.

If an employee suggests that they may need a change to a work environment or the way work is performed because of a medical condition, pregnancy, or disability, and this is not a request that you would normally approve as part of your usual department practice, the employee should be referred to HR. The employee is not required to use the words “reasonable accommodation." Please do not deny any potential requests for accommodation before HR has an opportunity to thoroughly evaluate the request(s) and possible alternatives.

If an employee requests reasonable accommodation(s) through HR, an HR staff member will contact you to discuss the request. HR may request a copy of the employee’s job description and ask you questions about the employee’s duties and responsibilities, including the frequency with which particular tasks are performed.

Determination Email:  Based on the information gathered from the employee, medical provider, manager, and other individuals as appropriate, HR will make a determination about whether an employee is eligible for accommodations and whether the requested accommodation is reasonable, and will communicate its determination via email to the employee and copy the manager.

Confidentiality: The Determination Email and any information about an employee’s requested or implemented accommodation should be maintained confidential, except from college employees who have a legitimate business need to know. Please consult with HR about which college employees may have a legitimate need to know before sharing information. An employee’s co-workers do not generally have a legitimate need to know about an employee’s accommodation. If needed, you may consult with HR about ways to explain why an employee might be performing work differently without sharing information about the implemented accommodation.