UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — All full- and part-time Penn State employees will receive an email this week (March 2 to March 6) from Penn State’s Affirmative Action Office (AAO) inviting them to voluntarily self-identify whether they do or do not have a disability in order to meet a new federal regulation passed last year.
The information provided will be kept confidential within the AAO office and will only be used to calculate an anonymous, aggregate report for the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP), as mandated by law. Penn State employees have the option of reporting disability information anonymously if they choose to complete the voluntary self-identification of disability form included in the email.
In 2014, the OFCCP made changes to the regulations implementing Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. The new rule strengthens the affirmative action provisions of the regulations to aid federal contractors in their efforts to recruit and hire individuals with disabilities and to improve job opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
“As a federal contractor, Penn State conducts business with the government, which requires the University to reach out, hire and provide equal opportunity to qualified people with disabilities,” said Ken Lehrman, vice provost for Affirmative Action. “Participation in filling out this form will help identify the number of Penn State employees who have or have had a disability. This will allow Penn State to remain in compliance and in good standing with the OFCCP and, in turn, will better serve our employees.”
Under a new federal law, Penn State is required to invite current employees to self-identify by March 24, and every five years thereafter. The email will contain a link to the OFCCP voluntary self-identification of disability form, which employees can complete online in a matter of minutes.
The OFCCP voluntary self-identification of disability form does not ask employees to identify a specific disability. Instead, the form asks employees to choose one of three options:— Yes, I have a disability (or previously had a disability)— No, I don’t have a disability— I don’t wish to answer
The OFCCP considers the following to be a disability: blindness, deafness, cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, autism, cerebral palsy, HIV/AIDS, schizophrenia, muscular dystrophy, bipolar disorder, major depression, multiple sclerosis (MS), missing limbs or partially missing limbs, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), obsessive compulsive disorder, impairments requiring the use of a wheelchair and intellectual disability. This is not an exhaustive list.
Employees may voluntarily disclose a disability at any time and may request a reasonable accommodation. If you are an employee with a disability and believe that you might require a reasonable accommodation to perform your job, please review information about the process at http://www.psu.edu/dept/aaoffice/access_accom.htm.
Penn State has a long track record of commitment to accessibility for students, faculty, staff and visitors with disabilities, well before the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act were enacted:
— A social organization for veterans with disabilities was founded at Penn State in 1919; the group held annual events to raise funds for campus projects.
— In 1973, then-University President John Oswald appointed a committee to assess the needs at Penn State and make recommendations to bring the University into full compliance with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
— The Office for Disability Services was created in 1979 to provide assistance to individuals with disabilities. This office ensures students with disabilities with equal access, full participation and reasonable accommodations for their academic pursuits, in addition to promoting disability awareness.
— Since the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1990, Penn State has allocated millions of dollars to remove barriers from existing facilities.
— In 1994, the University Access Committee was formed; this committee is charged with overseeing the compliance of accessibility guidelines.
— In 1994, the Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator position was created. This position provides guidance regarding University-wide compliance related to the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act and Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended; coordinates the reasonable accommodation process for faculty and staff; chairs the University Access Committee; and assists individuals who believe they have been treated differently because of disability.
— In 1997, the Opportunity Network for Employment program was created to increase employment opportunities for qualified individuals with disabilities at the University Park campus.
— Penn State has initiated policies to ensure equal access to information, programs and activities through its technologies, Web pages, services and resources for all its constituencies
— Penn State University Libraries Adaptive Technology and Services provides services to ensure that books and other materials are converted into formats that are accessible to individuals with disabilities.