TO:	All Agency and Department Heads
FROM:	James Natoli
SUBJECT:	Equal Access to State Agency Employment, Programs and Services for Individuals with Disabilities

A variety of New York State and federal laws and regulations, including the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), stress the need to assure that people with all types of disabilities have the opportunity to participate equally in every aspect of community life. New York State government agencies have obligations to their employees with disabilities and to those New Yorkers with disabilities who participate in or benefit from agency programs and services. Just as important, State government must set an example for the private sector to emulate.

As employers, agencies are responsible for ensuring that people with disabilities are not subject to any form of discrimination or harassment because of their disability and have equal opportunities to secure, maintain and advance in, positions in State service. Agencies must also provide reasonable accommodations to applicants or employees with disabilities, including but not limited to sign language interpreters and accessible work sites, when it does not pose an undue hardship on the agency. The Department of Civil Service has issued procedures for implementing reasonable accommodation requirements in State agencies. All agencies are expected to use these procedures. For information or assistance in implementing the procedures, agencies are encouraged to contact:

New York State Department of Civil Service
Reasonable Accommodation Unit
Division of Diversity Planning and Management
State Office Building Campus
Building 1
Albany, New York 12239
(518) 457-8023

New York State Office of Advocate for Persons with Disabilities
One Empire State Plaza, Suite 1001
Albany, New York 12223-1150
(518) 473-4609

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