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ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVE NO. 98-01 | Print Version

BENJAMIN CAYETANO
GOVERNOR

January 5, 1998

 ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTIVE NO. 98-01

TO: All Department and Agency Heads

SUBJECT: Reasonable Accommodation for Persons with Disabilities

This directive supersedes Executive Memorandum 92-02.

The State of Hawaii is committed to provide equal opportunity in State employment to qualified individuals with disabilities. Our commitment to equal opportunity includes a legal duty to provide reasonable accommodation to facilitate the employment of qualified individuals with disabilities.

Reasonable accommodation represents a logical adjustment made to the application process, in the work environment to enable the person to perform the essential functions of the job, or in the benefits of employment.

Reasonable accommodation includes, but is not limited to, making existing facilities readily accessible to and usable by individual with disabilities, job restructuring, part-time or modified work schedules, reassignment to vacant positions, acquisition or modification of equipment or devices, appropriate adjustment or modifications of examinations, training materials or policies, the provision of qualified readers or interpreters, and other similar accommodations.

As a major employer, State departments and agencies shall follow procedures established through the most current version of the "Reasonable Accommodation for Employees Manual" to provide equal employment opportunity to employees and job applicants with disabilities through providing reasonable accommodations.

The State Commission on Persons with Disabilities shall be responsible for the preparation of the Manual. The Commission and the Department of Human Resources Development shall provide technical advice on providing reasonable accommodations to qualified persons and employees with disabilities, as outlined in the Manual. 

Each department or agency head, as an appoint authority, shall provide equal employment opportunities, make reasonable accommodations, use departmental resources, use alternative ways of meeting personnel needs, and develop or modify programs to meet these goals. When the person with a disability acting as an applicant or employee engages in a program, service, or activity of the State of Hawaii, the department or agency sponsoring the activity shall have primary responsibility for providing and payment for the accommodation.