This document needs to be completed when students, honorary appointees, and employees of other campus units are requesting access to UW Health systems for a purpose other than research.
File: Non-Research-Narrative-for-Systems-Access-Exceptions.pdfThe DDR’s role is to help facilitate the accommodations process and ensure that accommodation requests are facilitated in a timely, confidential manner. DDRs are appointed by the Dean or Director to ensure compliance within the accommodations process. They assist managers, supervisors and employees with disability employment matters. They are the front-line person informing employees/supervisors of policies, procedures and decisions about accommodation requests. They provide education on disability matters, ensure confidentiality regarding medical information and keep confidential divisional medical records files. DDRs are charged with demonstrating a good faith effort in moving the accommodation process along, as well as being a resource for employees and supervisors/managers.
DDRs do not share medical information with supervisors/managers, their role is to help identify limitations/restrictors that manifest on the job due to a medical condition and identify accommodations so employees can continue to perform their job duties.
The manager/supervisor’s role in the accommodation process is to consult with the DDR when there is a disability request or if an employee has disclosed they have a medical condition that impacts their work. Managers/supervisors are often the first line of response when employees share a limitation or restriction that is impacting their job duties. Managers/supervisors follow policies and procedures, maintain confidentiality and manage operations within their department. Managers/supervisors demonstrate a good faith effort in working with the DDR to help identify and facilitate an employee’s return to work and/or accommodations.
The employee’s role is to inform their supervisor/manager or DDR of the need for accommodation. The employee must provide medical verification to the DDR upon request, as all accommodation requests must have supportive medical documentation. Employees follow policies, procedures, and demonstrate a good faith effort while partaking in the accommodations process.
Contact the SMPH Workplace Accommodation DDRs: smph-accommodation@med.wisc.edu
Individuals with and without disabilities can experience stress and anxiety related to work and their work performance. This in turn can affect an employee’s ability to perform successfully. With this in mind, a helpful resource can be Calm, a sleep, meditation, and relaxation app, that was created to reduce stress and anxiety, improve focus, or help with general self-improvement. Individuals can try the app for free before paying either yearly or getting a lifetime access pass.
There are several ways that the app can assist in reducing stress or anxiety. Below is a list of the available options on the app to assist in this area:
The American with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in all aspects of employment. The ADA is divided into five different sections called titles, which outline the requirements for different types of organizations. Title I of the ADA covers employment, and requires employers (i.e. the institution) to provide reasonable accommodations for applicants or employees who meet the ADA definition of a disability. A disability is any mental or physical impairment, or record or perception of a mental or physical impairment, that substantially limits one or more major life activities (e.g. the ability to walk, talk, see, hear, breathe, learn, sleep, take care of oneself, or work).
Here at the University of Wisconsin–Madison we follow these guidelines set forth by the ADA and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) by providing reasonable accommodations for qualified employees or applicants with disabilities. The importance of following the ADA and the spirit of the law is to ensure equal employment opportunities and full inclusion, and to ensure we are providing a workplace for employees where they can be successful.
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Key Terms |
Definitions |
| Qualified Individual with Disability | An individual with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities of such individual, a record of such an impairment or regarded as having an impairment |
| Impairment | Any physiological disorder or condition, cosmetic disfigurement, or anatomical loss affecting one or more body systems, or any mental or physiological disorder |
| Major Life Activity | Caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping, walking, standing, sitting, reaching, lifting, bending, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, interacting with others, and working |
| Substantial Limitation | An individual has a significant difficulty performing a major life activity as compared to most people — includes a wide variety of disorders or conditions that affect a number of body systems (i.e. skin, musculoskeletal system, digestive, respiratory) and mental or psychological disorders (i.e. anxiety, depression, learning disorders) |
Contact Information for SMPH Workplace Accommodation DDRs: smph-accommodation@med.wisc.edu
Divisional Disability Representatives, Kasey Hoffman and Ann Kowaliczko, will be hosting their first “Get to Know your DDR” virtual Lunch & Learn on Thursday, Oct. 20 at 11 a.m. This virtual event is for SMPH employees who are interested in learning more about the accommodations process.
Divisional Disability Representatives are designated human resources staff members who do the following:
Kasey Hoffman is one of the two DDRs who specializes in workplace accommodations for SMPH and has been with the division since 2021. She has a doctoral degree in Education Leadership from Edgewood College, and a master’s and bachelor’s degree in Rehabilitation Psychology from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. In addition, she is a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) and a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the state of Wisconsin. Prior to her work with SMPH, she spent five years providing student accommodations at the Edgewood College.
Outside of the office Kasey enjoys spending time with her family and her three pets (two cats and a dog), reading books, doing DIY projects around her house, sewing, and creating fun crafts with her Cricut. Her favorite vacations include trips to Disney or Disney cruises with her family.
Ann Kowaliczko is the second of the two DDRs who specializes in workplace accommodations for SMPH and has been with the division since 2019. She has a master’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from the Rehabilitation Institute at Southern Illinois University (SIU-C). In addition, she has a bachelor’s degree in photography from SIU-C and a certification in mindfulness from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Prior to her work with SMPH, she spent 15 years providing student accommodations at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, College of DuPage (in her hometown, Glen Ellyn, Illinois), and Johnson County Community College in Overland Park, Kansas.
Outside of the office Ann enjoys reading, attending silent retreats, and doing anything outside with her family (husband & 4 kids) and her dog. She’s an avid beach glass collector and dabbles in photography and writing.
Below are examples of reasons to reach out to the DDRs:
Contact information for SMPH Workplace Accommodation DDRs: smph-accommodation@med.wisc.edu
Divisional Disability Representatives, Kasey Hoffman and Ann Kowaliczko, will be hosting their first “Get to Know your DDR” virtual Lunch & Learn on Thursday, Oct. 20 at 11 a.m. This virtual event is for SMPH employees who are interested in learning more about the accommodations process.