Physical Requirements for Job Descriptions

Nat

I am working on job descriptions for Finance and Accounting positions. This department is on the second floor of our building - the building has no elevator. I have been asked to put in the Physical Requirements that the employee must be able to go up and down stairs because that department is upstairs. The server for our computer system is upstairs and one of the accounting positions is the "keeper of the server." I am told that it would be a tremendous undertaking to move the server to a ground level office as a reasonable accommodation. We are a not-for-profit organization with a very tight budget. My questions are these: 1. Should I put this in the Physical Requirements for all of these positions since that department is on the second floor, or just the position who is considered the "keeper" of the server? (Moving an office could be a reasonable accommodation) or 2. Put it in none of the positions? or 3. Put it in all of the positions. Any input will be helpful.

Hatchetman

If the accounting department is on the second floor, how would any person who is unable to climb the stairs due to a disability, work in Accounting? So once that question is answered as an accommodation for any qualified emplyee of the Accounting, then the "keeper" issue becomes moot. Would you allow an accountant who was disabled and unable to climb stairs to work for the company, even if he or she was not the "server keeper"?

I wouldn't put in the ability to climb stairs as a physical requirement of the job for an accounting position or "server keeper." When the candidate comes in, if he or she has an obvious disability that renders him or her unable to climb stairs then the interviewer can identify the physical lay-out and ask the candidate how he or she would perform the "keeper" function. The interviewer should show all candidates the accounting area and the server and then that should result in the candidate identifying if there is going to be a problem if the candidate doesn't disclose a disability or it isn't obvious before then.
Then of course, the issue of reasonable accommodation would arise and become part of the interview process as if the disability were obvious.

I'm not quite sure what the connection is between "accounting" and "being the keeper of the server" and why you're concerned about the employee not being able to climb the stairs as the "keeper" but not as an accountant. I'm not trying to challenge you, but I think once you start analyzing your situation you may find some alternatives.

Just for your information in helping you do this, an essential function for any job is one that helps make that job that job and without that function, that job would be something else. Frequency of performance of the function is one consideration; the impact if the function is not performedt The skill, expertise and knoweldge needed to help perform the function; certainly they should be related to the other functions of the accounting position -- are other factors to consider in determining whether the3 function is esential or not. Also, is there only one accountant position that is the "keeper" or are all accountants "keepers." If the responsibility is done by all of them, then you have a stronger argument to say that the accounting position has as one of its essential functions, "keeper of the server."

Remember, if it is possible for a person who is disabled and cannot climb stairs to perform the essential functions of the job with reasonable accommodation, then there would be no problem with accounting being on the second floor or the server function being on the second floor.

Margaret Morford

I don't know what kind of business you are, but remember there are also requirements about buisnesses being wheelchair accessible to the disabled. You may want to get some legal advice on this.

Margaret Morford
theHRedge
615-371-8200
[email]mmorford@mleesmith.com[/email]
[url]http://www.thehredge.net[/url]