Senior Manager-Ada Compliance (Ada Compliance Officer)

Orange County Public Schools•Orlando, FL

9h•Onsite

About The Position

To develop and lead accessibility initiatives to proactively support the School Board of Orange County, Florida, OCPS District staff and, where applicable, the community.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resources, Sociology, Psychology, or related area from an accredited institution.
Five (5) years of experience in the legal field with an emphasis on disability and leave laws and regulations.
Strong analytical and creative problem-solving skills required.
Knowledge of office management principles and procedures.
Knowledge of legal administration.
Knowledge of the principles of general management and/or public and business administration and their application to governmental administration.
Knowledge of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as amended, Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Florida Building Code (FBC) and ADA Accessibility Design Guidelines (ADAAG), the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 (WCAG), Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), and other federal and state laws and regulations pertaining to persons with disabilities.
Knowledge of applicable state, federal, and county laws, rules, and regulations pertaining to departmental operations.
Knowledge of basic investigation techniques and reporting procedures.
Considerable knowledge of research techniques and the sources and availability of current information in the areas of disability and leave-related services to individuals with disabilities.
Knowledge of the proposed and enacted legislation and court rulings that affect programs and services to individuals with disabilities.
Ability to further develop and implement an ADA compliance program and procedures, and to evaluate its effectiveness.
Ability to exercise judgment and discretion in interpreting and enforcing department or district rules, regulations, policies, and procedures.
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with other employees, supervisors, departmental officials, officials of other agencies, and the general public.
Ability to express ideas and information clearly, concisely, verbally, and in writing.
Ability to train employees and subordinates in the area of ADA compliance.
Ability to discern and extract pertinent facts from oral and written guidelines, policies, and procedures related to ADA compliance and apply them to a variety of situations.
Ability to evaluate all disability and leave-related accommodations and operations to determine if departmental goals and objectives have been met.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree preferred.
Legal, managerial, and case management experience preferred.
Certified Americans with Disabilities Act Coordinator (ADAC) and Certified Leave Management Specialist (CLMS) designation highly desirable.
Knowledge of district personnel policies and procedures preferred.

Responsibilities

Develop and lead accessibility initiatives to proactively support and accommodate individuals with disabilities, ensuring compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as amended, Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Florida Building Code (FBC) and Accessibility Design Guidelines (ADAAG), the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 (WCAG), Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), and other federal and state laws and regulations pertaining to persons with disabilities.
Lead the review and approval of the employee accommodation process by ensuring timely responses to inquiries and accommodation requests, engaging in the interactive process and maintaining relevant data records through case management software or other database protocols.
Responsible for developing and overseeing an ADA grievance procedure and appeal process.
Collect, analyze, and report on data related to access and accommodations.
Monitor and follow up on accommodation implementation and ensure accommodation needs are met throughout candidate lifecycle.
Communicate the accommodation decision, disseminate other relevant information to the requestor, and partner with appropriate stakeholder(s) for implementation.
Document and maintain up-to-date case records, conduct appropriate research in applicant tracking systems, and ensure accurate information on the computer database.
Analyze needs of employees with disabilities, conduct job site ergonomic evaluations, assess service animal requests based on policies and federal regulations, assist in the selection of appropriate assistive technology for the workplace needs, and provide training in the use of the selected device(s).
Collaborate with Workers’ Compensation Division and attorneys in accommodating and/or reassigning individuals who have reached MMI/Permanent Restrictions.
Serve as the District representative in legal proceedings related to responsibilities as appropriate.
Act as subject matter expert for FMLA and HR as it relates to leave requests and absences.
Oversee FMLA Office compliance efforts and provide guidance to leave of absence administrators and coordinators.
Provide recommendations to appropriate departments for short term leave requests, long term leave requests, medical separations, disability terminations, job transfers/reassignments, and purchasing of accessible goods and services through RFPs, solicitations, contracts, and agreements.
Develop and oversee the District’s American Sign Language (ASL) Program by scheduling interpreters and ensuring compliance under Federal, state, and local mandates.
Serve as panel member for any Requests for Proposals (RFP) or other competitive solicitations related to district-based ASL agencies.
Cross-references and processes payments and invoices to appropriate vendors and agencies.
Provide central oversight, technical leadership, expert guidance, coordination, and support to the District’s departments and programs in their use of the web, with a focus on promoting, assessing and maintaining web accessibility compliance.
Conduct routine audits, reports and remediate areas of inaccessibility and conduct testing with assistive technology.
Provide training to content managers to ensure compliance with Section 508 and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Level 2.0 AA.
Identify, analyze, prioritize, and manage the removal of barriers to people with disabilities, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) and applicable city and state building code regulations.
Conduct site visits, summarize and report findings to, and provide recommendations to, Facilities leadership to ensure compliance.
Develop processes and/or forms for compliance with any uncommon accommodations or leave benefits bargained by Union-based agreements, or any Federal, State, or local ordinances, policies, or procedures, such as under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).
Keep updated on legislation and national, state, and local issues affecting access for applicants, candidates, employees, and community members with disabilities.
Act as EEO Investigator and subject matter liaison to the Civil Rights Compliance Officer by collaborating on trainings, investigations, and developing and disseminating annual reports.
Investigate complex internal and external allegations of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation when necessary, by acquiring relevant documentation; conducting interviews; researching laws and statutes; performing case analysis; extracting statistical and categorical data; summarizing case findings, and offering recommendations.
Act as subject matter expert by developing, implementing, leading, and participating in training programs and committees across all units on ADA, FMLA, and Workers’ Compensation initiatives and processes, including development and dissemination of educational materials.
Conduct research and review current developments, literature, and technical sources of information related to job responsibilities.
Develop and maintain a relationship with public and private sector agencies, firms, and organizations that provide services to individuals with disabilities and provides outreach; develop a relationship and maintain liaison with community-based organizations.
Ensure that school division operations are in compliance with applicable federal, state and local laws and District policies and regulations.
Follow the district’s policies and procedures as related to all HRMD guidelines and the district’s instructional initiatives.
Follow the district’s policies and procedures as related to fixed assets.
Develop leadership in subordinates.
Responsible for keeping up to date on current technology being used by OCPS. With the support of the district, attend training to ensure skill level in various technologies is at the level required to perform in the current position.
Responsible for maintaining timely and accurate information and accountable for the quality of information maintained by those they supervise.
Responsible for self-development and keeping up to date on current research, trends and best practices relevant to the area of responsibility.
Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned by supervisor.