In accordance with Catholic Social teaching on the respect and dignity of human life, the Curia, parishes, schools, and agencies of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois will provide accommodation to qualified individuals where suitable to allow the individual to perform the essential functions of the job, unless doing so would create an undue hardship on the Curia, parish, school, or agency.

If an employee requires accommodation because of a disability, it is his/her responsibility to notify their direct supervisor. The employee may be asked to include relevant information such as:

• The reason an accommodation is needed.
• A description of the proposed accommodation.
• How will the accommodation help you perform the essential functions of your job.

After receiving the request, the supervisor and the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois’ Office for Human Resources will engage in an interactive dialogue with the employee to determine the precise limitations of the disability and explore potential appropriate accommodations that could overcome those limitations. Where appropriate, the employee may be asked to obtain additional information from his/her medical provider. All medical information received in connection with a request for accommodation will be treated as confidential.

The Curia, parishes, schools, and other agencies encourage all employees to suggest specific appropriate accommodations that the employee believes would allow him/her to perform the job. However, the Curia, parish, school, or other agency is not required to make the specific accommodation requested by the employee and may provide an alternative accommodation, to the extent any appropriate accommodation can be made without imposing an undue hardship on the entity.

If leave is provided as an appropriate accommodation, such leave may run concurrently with leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act and/or any other leave where permitted by state and federal law.

The Curia, parishes, schools, or other agencies of the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois will not discriminate or retaliate against the employee for requesting an accommodation. See Book II The People of God §Policy 1300: EEO Statement and Non-Harassment Policy, §1304 Reasonable Accommodation.