Employees reluctant to request accommodations if it hits their department budget because they did not want to be “a burden” or ask their manager for accommodation; and the data gathering of accommodation requests/outcomes for compliance audits was difficult and required soliciting multiple functional key stakeholders such as medical, facilities, security, IT, department management, environmental/health/safety, ergonomics, site administrative assistants, etc.

Implemented Centralized Accommodation Budget/Function, launched Online Self-Service Portal to request Accommodations for Employees, Applicants, Visitors, Investors, which included a single data gathering Case Tracking System for ease of meeting compliance obligations.

Increased culture of inclusion for PWD, easier way for employees/applicants/interviewees/visitors and non-employees to request accommodations from centralized budget. Significant increase in volume of tracked accommodation requests – projected 500 requests first year and had 1496 first year (2600 requests in under 2 years). Drastically improved self-identification rates of PWD employee population from 2.9% to 6.3%, included accommodation request portal on applicant/interview and hiring of PWD average is around 10%, veterans and veterans with disabilities / Operation IMPACT between 20-30%.

Nikki Alphonse