Reasonable Accommodations for Employees and Job Applicants

FEMA provides reasonable accommodations to meet the needs of employees and job applicants with disabilities.

Reasonable accommodations are a change in the work environment or in work processes that enables a qualified individual with a disability to enjoy equal employment opportunities. The goals of reasonable accommodations are to address barriers created by disabilities or functional limitations.

FEMA also provides reasonable accommodations to a qualified employee’s or applicant’s known limitations related to, affected by, or arising out of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.

Qualified individuals with a disability can request reasonable accommodations. To qualify, a FEMA employee or job applicant must:

• Have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, have a record of such an impairment, or be regarded as having such an impairment.
• Satisfy the requisite skill, experience, education, and other job-related requirements of the position.
• Be able to perform the essential functions of the position, either with or without reasonable accommodations.

If you are a FEMA employee or job applicant and believe you qualify for reasonable accommodations, you can submit a reasonable accommodations request.

FEMA OCR facilitates the timely processing of reasonable accommodations requests consistent with all relevant statutes, regulations, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission guidance, case law, and the FEMA Reasonable Accommodations Program. FEMA OCR provides neutral, authoritative guidance on the process.

For assistance, please contact us at FEMA-OCR-RA@fema.dhs.gov.

• Equal Employment Opportunity
• EEOC Disability-Related Resources
• Enforcement Guidance on Reasonable Accommodation and Undue Hardship under the ADA
• FEMA's Reasonable Accommodation Program
• Job Accommodation Network: The JAN is run by the Department of Labor and is the leading source of free, expert, and confidential guidance on workplace accommodations and disability employment issues for managers and employees.

For more information, including how to request reasonable accommodation, please email the FEMA Office of Civil Rights.