Note:

For additional information, see the following links: http://www.eeoc.gov/policy/guidance.html, andhttp://1step4ra.web.irs.gov . In July 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became law, and extended the protection afforded public sector employees under the 1973 Rehabilitation Act to the private sector. In 1992, the Rehabilitation Act was amended to substitute the term "disability" for the term "handicap," and to adopt certain employment standards of the ADA, thus ensuring that the employment nondiscrimination provisions of both Acts are similar.

The ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA) of 2008 made major changes to the way the term disability and Reasonable Accommodation are interpreted. The changes apply to both the ADA and the Rehabilitation Act. For additional information on the ADAAA go to http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/statutes/adaaa.cfm.

The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended requires employers to make reasonable accommodations to the known physical or mental limitations of an employee, unless such accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the employer. Reasonable accommodations include such actions as making work sites accessible, modifying existing equipment, providing new devices, modifying work schedules, restructuring jobs and providing readers or interpreters. A complete discussion is available in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. See http://www.eeoc.gov/laws/index.cfm for more information.

Education Community Responsibilities:

SL&E ensures that course materials are accessible to employees with disabilities.

The timetable for course delivery must include the time needed for conversion of course materials to the format required by employees with disabilities. Staffing and funding resources must be available so that course materials can be converted to formats compatible with the adaptive technology used by IRS employees. For assistance with converting course materials for adaptive equipment, contact the Alternative Media Center (AMC) or visit the website at http://amc.enterprise.irs.gov/. The employee's manager will request assistance 4 to 6 weeks in advance of the training event to ensure there is time to process the request.

IRS will ensure that discrimination does not result from the use of training facilities that deny access to people with disabilities.

Reasonable accommodation activities for the education community may include, but are not limited to acquiring/modifying equipment or devices; providing training materials in Braille, large print and other alternative formats; changing tests, training materials, or policies; providing qualified readers or interpreters; and other similar accommodation for individuals with disabilities. Each accommodation will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

IRS course development and education program managers will use open-captioning (closed captioning when available at all sites receiving the broadcasts) for VEC webcast and video training programs.

Business unitResponsibilities:

The business unit is responsible for requesting and funding reasonable accommodation services (i.e., sign language interpreters, adaptive equipment, etc.) for their class participants. Managers can contact their servicing IRS Disability Office (IDO) Reasonable Accommodation Services for assistance with Reasonable Accommodations. The following link provides contact information: https://irssource.web.irs.gov/Lists/Accessibility/Reasonable%20Accommodation.aspx The manager must request the equipment or services at least fifteen business days before the training event to ensure there is time to process the request.

Employees or their managers are responsible for notifying the CDS site hosting the class if any reasonable accommodation equipment or services were requested. The reporting instructions provide a contact name and phone number for this purpose.

If sign language interpreters are needed, the request must follow established agency procedures for securing interpreting services See the iCAN website for more information:https://irssource.web.irs.gov/Lists/Accessibility/DispItemForm.aspx?ID=11. If adaptive computer hardware or software is needed, contact the CDS site responsible for the training class.

If Braille training material will be required, the request needs to be submitted to the Alternative Media Center (AMC) at: http://amc.enterprise.irs.gov/ at least four to six weeks prior to the training event to ensure there is time to process the request.