DOT Order 1011.1B: Procedures for Processing Reasonable Accommodation Requests

This document is a Department of Transportation administrative order dated January 14, 2021, establishing standardized procedures for processing reasonable accommodation requests from DOT job applicants and employees with disabilities. The order applies to all DOT organizations, including Operating Administrations, the Office of the Secretary, and the Office of Inspector General, with procedures to be submitted to the Departmental Office of Civil Rights (DOCR) within 90 days for review and approval.

The order defines key terms including disability, targeted disability, major life activities, physical or mental impairment, substantially limits, reasonable accommodation, interim accommodation, qualified individual, essential functions, undue hardship, and vacant position. It establishes the interactive process as the core mechanism for accommodation decisions, requiring good-faith communication between decision makers and requesters. The Secretary of Transportation or designee must approve any decision to deny an accommodation based on undue hardship. Decision makers are designated by operating administration heads and may be first-level supervisors or centralized staff. The Disability Resource Center, operated by the Department of Human Resource Management, provides technical assistance and maintains records of accommodation interactions. Training on reasonable accommodations is mandated every two years for all decision makers and managers, with new supervisors receiving training within six months. Requests must be processed and accommodations provided within 25 business days absent extenuating circumstances, with timeframe extensions requiring written notice to the requestor. The order requires maintenance of medical documentation separate from personnel files, reporting of accommodation data through the Reasonable Accommodation Management System (RAMS), and strict confidentiality of the accommodation process. Individuals have appeal rights, including requests for reconsideration within 10 business days and potential escalation to Equal Employment Opportunity, Merit Systems Protection Board, or collective bargaining grievance procedures.