This is a reminder to all members that the preliminary deadline for applying for an accommodation is June 30th, as per an email sent by the Deans to full-time employees.
Many of us are understandably leery of disclosing sensitive health information to an employer. This is, however, a necessary process under the Americans with Disabilities Act for those with qualifying ADA conditions. Temple has also indicated that they plan to accommodate as many health, safety and other potential concerns that extend beyond the ADA’s technical parameters as they can. But they have also stated that they may not be able to accommodate all requests.
Adjuncts and other faculty, librarians, and academic professionals have rightly objected to adjuncts not being included in this process thus far. HR has been contacted and urged to include adjuncts immediately. Everyone must be treated equitably, including acknowledging the fact that health insurance or having a regular medical provider are not things that many low-wage workers have access to. Since many adjuncts are hired close to the start of the term, and there may not be sufficient time to process an accommodation, it is important that we are all pushing for sections which are added within the few weeks before the semester to be online by default.
It is troubling that the administration did not choose an approach where an individual could opt-in for working on campus. That way, anyone who wished to work off-campus could be accommodated, and the focus could have rightly centered more on the safety of those who will be working in a riskier environment. But since there is another process currently in place, there are issues to consider.
If you are going to apply for an accommodation, it is best to apply directly to Human Resources (HR), either through ada-hr@temple.edu or through the form available through TU Portal. HR is not supposed to share sensitive health information with any supervisor in your college/school or department. Rather, as part of the ADA process, HR should convey only the requested accommodation. To facilitate planning, many Chairs’ and Deans’ offices have asked members to disclose whether they want an accommodation. It’s important to remember: you are under no obligation in this process to share any health information with anyone outside of HR.
The internal appeal process for an accommodation that is initially denied is not clear yet and it’s important that the administration provides clarification on this matter so that people know what to do if they feel their request has been unreasonably denied. Given that Temple has set a preliminary deadline for requests, if you intend to seek an accommodation, you should strongly consider making your request within that time frame if possible. If you are not able to apply by the 30th but intend to do so, notify the University of your intent before the deadline passes.
Some of the reasons you may want to cite as potential justifications for an accommodation may not necessarily qualify as disabilities. If you are interested in requesting an accommodation but are unsure whether it qualifies under the ADA, you should still not hesitate in submitting a request.
If you believe that the response to your accommodation request is unreasonable, you should discuss it with HR to make sure that your concerns were understood and to gain an understanding of the decision that was made. If things have not been worked out through this follow-up, please contact the TAUP office.
Many of us would not have chosen this process, and it is difficult to decide whether to apply when so much remains unknown about the plans, campus conditions and what will happen once the semester actually begins. These are intensely personal decisions that we each have to make for ourselves. As decisions about whether or not to apply for an accommodation, we all must remain committed to ensuring the health and safety of each other and of the entire Temple community.