The primary goal of the Americans with Disability Act (ADA) is the equal participation of individuals with disabilities in the "mainstream" of society. Reasonable accommodations must be made to applicants and employees known to have disabilities.

Citizens:
All DOT public facilities in which the public conducts business were required to be physically accessible by January 6, 1994. All programs provided by the DOT are required to have program access meaning that accommodations may be required by DOT for the public to access a particular program. This includes hearings and workshops.

Employees:
The DOT is required to accommodate all employees who have disabilities. It is the responsibility of management to work with the disabled employee to develop a solution for the disability to help the employee perform the essential functions of the job.

Transition Plan/Self-Evaluation:
The department developed and distributed a transition plan and self-evaluation notebook to over fifty locations around the state and provided a two-hour ADA training session for all employees.

Download the DOT Transition Plan and DOT Self-Evaluation here.

ADA Law:
The ADA law is very clear on most points; but, not very defined on other points. Case law will eventually provide strict guidance. More and more issues will be surfacing as the law takes effect. Documentation of ADA accommodations for the public and DOT employees is very important. Units are requested to document instances where DOT provides assistance or accommodations to disabled persons. This information should be forwarded to the ADA Library located in the Productivity Services Section.

ADA Assistance:
Ron Oates was appointed the ADA Coordinator for the Department of Transportation and an ADA Steering Committee was established to provide assistance and guidance.

ADA Grievance Procedure:
The Department has developed a procedure to ensure the prompt and equitable resolution of unresolved ADA complaints. This procedure may be used by either Department employees or citizens desiring to utilize State (DOT) maintained facilities. Items that are grievable include a denial of a requested accommodation, the inadequacy of an accommodation, the inaccessibility of a program or activity due to disability, or discrimination based on a disability. This procedure is intended for use after all “local” attempts to resolve an issue have been exhausted.

Download the ADA Grievance Procedure here.

Contact Walt Thompson, ADA Coordinator, at 919-733-2083 or email through Contact Us.

ADA Steering Committee