Disability Resources

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Welcome! The City of Portland is an equal employment opportunity employer and is committed to providing equitable, inclusive employment opportunities and workplaces for people with disabilities at all levels.
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This resource page is designed for the City of Portland’s job applicants, employees, and managers/supervisors who have questions about reasonable accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, as amended.


What is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)? 

The ADA is a civil rights law passed in 1990 (and amended in 2008) that protects equal opportunities for people with disabilities in employment, public accommodations, transportation, telecommunications, and in accessing State and local government services.

There are five different sections of the ADA, known as “Titles”. The City of Portland’s Bureau of Human Resources (BHR) is responsible for processing reasonable accommodation requests related to Title I of the ADA, which covers employment-related accommodations for job applicants, interns, employees, and elected officials.


I am a job applicant with a disability. How do I request an ADA accommodation?

There are two ways that a City of Portland job applicant can request a reasonable ADA accommodation. 

Option #1: 

Each time you submit a job application, there is a section called “Agency-wide Questions” that includes demographic questions. Question #10 says, “If you have a disability, would you need a reasonable ADA accommodation if you are selected for an interview or a skills evaluation test?” Answering “yes” or “I’m not sure”will automatically notify an HR staff person, who will reach out to you for more details only if you are selected by the hiring team for an interview or exam. 

Important note: Your answer is not shared with the hiring team until after you have been selected.

Option #2: 

Contact the recruiter listed at the end of the job posting for the job you are applying for. They will connect you to the appropriate HR staff person.


I am a City of Portland employee, intern, or elected official with a disability. How do I request an ADA accommodation? 

Contact your Human Resources Business Partner (HRBP). They will provide you with appropriate paperwork and guide you through the next steps. For more information, please see the City’s Human Resources Administrative Rule (HRAR) 2.06.
 


I am a City of Portland manager, supervisor, or other staff person. How can I support a job applicant or an employee with a disability who needs an ADA accommodation? 

If you receive an ADA accommodation request from an applicant or an employee, please notify your Bureau’s Human Resources Business Partner (HRBP) within one business day. Your HRBP will ensure that you and the applicant or employee have the appropriate paperwork and will guide you through the next steps.

For more information about the process, please see the City’s Human Resources Administrative Rule (HRAR) 2.06.

Also! Did you know that the City of Portland has a Disability Accommodation Fund? The Fund can be used to pay almost any ADA accommodation service or product needed by any job applicant, City employee, intern, or elected official. Read the Fund guidelines for more details. 

Want to learn even more? Check out the Office of Community & Civic Life’s Access Tip of the Month series, which is full of useful information about disability inclusion and access.   


I am not a job applicant or a City employee, intern, or elected official. How do I request an ADA accommodation? 

If you would like to request an ADA accommodation so that you can access a public City service, program, or event, please contact one of the City’s ADA Title II Coordinators. If you have trouble connecting with an ADA Title II coordinator, please contact Jonathan Simeone by phone at (503) 823 – 1231 or by email at jonathan.simeone@portlandoregon…

Other City of Portland Disability Programs