Employee Forum
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee
December 18, 2023
Minutes
Attendees: Rebecca Howell, Lori Shamblin, David Bragg, Julie Theriault, Charlissa Rice, Jacqueline Schwamberger, Audrey Shore, Vanessa Mitchell, Elizabeth DuBose
Guests: Tiffany Bailey
- Special presentation:
- Tiffany Bailey, Director of Equal Opportunity/ADA Coordinator, EOC Office
- https://eoc.unc.edu/uncaccess/
- Accommodations
- Works with folks on waivers of recruitment, equitable search processes, etc.
- Helps oversee other university efforts as it relates to access and compliance
- Accommodations process is similar to student accommodations
- Refer employees who need accommodations to the EOC office
- ARS will be merging into EOC – “one stop shop”
- What accommodations are offered?
- https://eoc.unc.edu/our-policies/accommodationrequests/
- Will sometimes ask for documentation – depends on the situation
- Approval process takes approximately 30 days
- There are 3 accommodations specialists dedicated to employees
- Check resource link in menu on main EOC site: https://eoc.unc.edu/ – resources pointing people to the applicable places to find assistance
- Working with campus partners on a physical barrier assessment
- Julie: Q about elevators; working with employees and students who have a physical barrier/limitation. Answers that should be given versus what IS relayed; e.g.., If elevators can’t be fixed for 6 months, does the person not come to work for 6 months? Hhow much is the EOC involved.
- Heavily involved; group of stakeholders launched elevator notification launch; looking at alternative accommodations while things are being addressed
- If there are questions/if a supervisor doesn’t allow remote work, etc., they can reach out to EOC
- https://eoc.unc.edu/report-an-access-concern/
- Julie: Q about elevators; working with employees and students who have a physical barrier/limitation. Answers that should be given versus what IS relayed; e.g.., If elevators can’t be fixed for 6 months, does the person not come to work for 6 months? Hhow much is the EOC involved.
- Charlie – when an accommodation request form is submitted, how long does it take to receive a response?
- At least 48 hours
- Might request more information
- Point person designated every week to review
- Waiver of recruitment process is a little different – involves more review
- Is 30 days typical?
- That is policy, but actual turn around time is faster
- Once documentation is received, schedule meeting with employee and supervisor
- Depending on complexity of request, there might be more interactions required
- If a student or employee is transitioning in gender, is the EOC office who handles that, or is there another office?
- First will point them to LGBTQ Resource Center
- If it’s disability related, or is in the DSM, will get involved
- Requests do come in for medicinal and surgical processes and will work with people on that
- What the EOC does is complex, and always gray, so the team is happy to answer any questions
- Retaliation/discrimination claims related to accommodations are investigated
- UNC Healthcare has its own accommodations process
- Doctors do have faculty appointments, so they do look at accommodations for those physicians
- David – Since ARS will be reporting you soon, something that I was recently asked about here in software distribution, is if UNC could investigate using Speechify instead of ClaroRead because the voices are much more natural sounding and easier to understand / easier to listen to when having to listen to a long book for example.
- Typically do individual provision of software
- Will be looking at an assortment of options
- Check-in on upcoming Spring date change
- 2nd Tuesdays at 11am
- Next meeting 1/9
- Any other business
- Adjourn 3:32