Multnomah County values diversity and inclusion for our staff and the community we serve. Employees with disabilities are vital to the success and progress of this organization. The County works to create an environment that is inclusive for disabled staff. These values guide important equity work that follows the principle “nothing about us, without us.”

The County complies with federal and state laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), guiding the protection of employees with disabilities. The ADA requires government employers to engage in an interactive process with staff who have a qualifying disability and need reasonable accommodation to perform their essential job duties. 

Reasonable accommodation refers to any change or adjustment to a job or work environment that allows a qualified applicant or employee with a disability to:

  • Participate in the job application process
  • Perform the essential functions of a job
  • Enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment equal to those enjoyed by employees without disabilities

For candidates

If you anticipate any challenges in the application or interview process, you may be eligible for a reasonable accommodation. You can request an ADA accommodation at any time during the recruitment process or throughout your employment at the county. 

Common accommodation requests include:

  • Providing materials in different formats (large print, electronic, etc.)
  • Offering interpreters
  • Providing assistive technology for computer access
  • Changing interview locations
  • Changing the format of the interview

For employees

If you have a qualifying disability and a workplace accommodation would help you, reach out to your Human Resources Business Partner to start the accommodation process. You may also refer to the Disability Resources page on the Commons (internal website). Employees are often asked to submit medical documentation to support their need for accommodation. This paperwork does not need to include a diagnosis or private information. Your medical information will not be shared with managers or coworkers.

Employees are required to engage in the interactive process (link to glossary) before accommodations are offered. Accommodation suggestions will be considered based on an employee’s workplace limitation(s) and job duties. Because all decisions are individual, we cannot provide a list of accommodations to select from. For more information on accommodations that might work for you, visit the Job Accommodation Network. There you can search for accommodation ideas by disability type or workplace limitation.

Common accommodation requests include:

  • Specialized equipment (ergonomics, screen magnifiers, etc.)
  • Assistive technology (dictation software, screen readers)
  • Changing the work environment or location
  • Changing the workflow
  • Flexible or alternative schedules (for example: teleworking)
 

If you want to learn more about accommodations at the county, please reach out to your HR Business Partner or the Office of Diversity and Equity.

Who to contact

For candidates: Work with the recruiter listed on the job posting

For employees: Reach out to Human Resources

Questions or concerns: Contact the Office of Diversity and Equity

Glossary

Accommodation process - the process for requesting and receiving accommodation

Interactive process - a mutual exchange of information between the employee, the manager, and often a medical provider. This process is guided by Human Resources

Major life activities - these include, but are not limited to, caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping, walking, standing, lifting, bending, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, and working

Medical documentation - forms filled out by a medical provider that confirms a qualifying disability, identifies any workplace limitation(s) and suggests reasonable accommodation options

Qualifying disability - a physical or mental condition that makes one or more major life activities hard to do or manage, a history of a qualifying condition, or other people regarding you as having a disability  

Reasonable accommodation - any change or adjustment to a job or work environment that allows a qualified applicant or employee with a disability to fully participate in a hiring process, perform the essential functions of a position, or enjoy job benefits equal to non-disabled staff.