Supportive Services
Several supportive services are available for employees at UT Dallas. If you require accommodations, please engage in our interactive ADA accommodations process to ensure your needs are effectively addressed, or contact the Office of Human Resources (OHR).
Sign Language Interpreter/CART Services
If requesting Sign Language/CART services for a single event, please provide a minimum of five business days advance notice.
If you need ongoing services for a semester, please provide a minimum of one month’s notice.
To request services for visitors, send an email to ADACoordinator@utdallas.edu.
Comet Cab
If requesting accessible cart (Comet Cab) services, please provide a minimum of five business days advance notice.
For emergency purposes or changes to your current schedule, a minimum of one-hour notice.
Assistive Technology
Assistive Technology includes devices, software, equipment or tools which help people with disabilities improve their functional capabilities. These tools help employees work more quickly, easily or independently. While originally developed for people with disabilities, many of these technologies are useful to everyone at some point in their lives.
Please refer to the Office of Information Technology’s Accessibility Resources page for more information on available resources.
Hearing Aids, Scooters, Etc.
The scope of the ADA does not charge employers with the obligation to provide employees with items such as hearing aids, wheelchairs, scooters, eyeglasses, etc. Hearing aids and the like, fall into a category called personal-use items, which the University does not provide for its employees.
Service Animals
Employees who use service animals as defined under the ADA need to be able to communicate that the animal is needed for disability-related reasons (when the need is not obvious) and demonstrate that the animal is trained to be in a work environment without disrupting the workplace.
If possible, prior to bringing the animal in the work environment, employees should schedule a meeting with OHR to discuss the need for a service animal. If the disability is not obvious and/or the reason the service animal is needed is unclear, the employee ADA specialist may request documentation.
If your licensed healthcare provider recommended the service animal, then your provider should be able to verify that you need the service animal for disability-related reasons. This practice is allowable under Title I of the ADA as employers have the right to request reasonable documentation that an accommodation is needed because of an employee’s disability.
Ergonomics
There may be times when adjustment(s) to the workspace can help employees reach increased efficiency and comfort, and an accommodation may not always be necessary to do so. UTD employees who need an ergonomic evaluation should contact the Occupational Health & Safety Team. The ergonomics team offers ergonomics assessments on campus and to UTD satellite offices around DFW. If an employee would like an assessment of their remote workspace ergonomics, this can be facilitated virtually via Teams.
A typical ergonomic assessment will take 30 minutes, but could take up to 60 minutes to complete. Any immediate changes that can be made to improve the workspace will be identified at the time of the assessment. After the assessment, the assessed individual will receive the findings and potential product recommendations specific to reducing ergonomic risk factors.
If the evaluation results in a recommendation for workplace accommodation, the employee ADA specialist will collaborate with Campus Occupational Health & Safety to gather information on the suggested modifications. The employee ADA specialist will then engage with the employee in the interactive ADA accommodations process. All accommodations must be approved before any decisions are made.
Pregnancy
UT Dallas is dedicated to safeguarding the rights of expectant mothers and adhering to Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, as amended by the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978. UT Dallas ensures that students, faculty and staff affected by pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions receive the same treatment as other individuals who are unable to work or participate in their education due to physical conditions.
Staff and faculty requiring pregnancy-related accommodations should contact EmployeeADA@utdallas.edu to begin the interactive ADA accommodations process. Accommodation determinations are made on a case-by-case basis and may remain in effect through the length of the employee’s pregnancy.
Individuals needing leave due to their pregnancy should contact the leave administration team at loa@utdallas.edu.
Students requiring pregnancy-related accommodations and/or leave due to their pregnancy should contact the Dean of Students Office.
Religious Accommodations
There may be times when a work requirement conflicts with religious observances and practices. If that happens, employees may request a reasonable accommodation of their religious practices. In all cases, the employee should reach out to Employee Relations at employeerelations@utdallas.edu to discuss their request.
If an employee wishes to observe a religious holiday on a day the University is scheduled to be open, please consult the Religious Holiday section of UTD Policy UTDBP3048 for guidance.
Students requiring religious accommodation should contact the Dean of Students Office.
Questions?
For further information, contact:
Office of Human Resources
AD, Room 3.418
800 West Campbell Road
Richardson, Texas 75080