This grievance procedure is established to meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). It may be used by anyone who wishes to file a complaint alleging discrimination on the basis of disability in the provision of services, activities, programs, or benefits by the county. The county's personnel policy governs employment-related complaints of disability discrimination.
(A) The complaint should be in writing and contain information about the alleged discrimination such as name, address, telephone number of complainant and location, date and description of the problem. Alternatives means of filing complaints, such as personal interviews or a tape recording of the complaint, will be made available for persons with disabilities upon request.
(B) The complaint should be submitted by the grievant and/or his or her designee as soon as possible but no later than 60 calendar days after the alleged violation to:
ADA Coordinator
County Commissioners Office
20 North Third Street
Lafayette, IN 47901
County Commissioners Office
20 North Third Street
Lafayette, IN 47901
(C) Within 15 calendar days after receipt of the complaint, the ADA Coordinator and two other ADA Project Team members will meet with the complainant to discuss the complaint and the possible solutions. Within 15 calendar days of the meeting, the ADA Coordinator will respond in writing, and where appropriate, in a format accessible to the complainant, such as large print, braille, or audio tape. The response will explain the position of the county and offer options for substantive resolution of the complaint.
(D) If the response by the ADA Coordinator or his or her designee does not satisfactorily resolve the issue, the complainant and/or his or her designee may appeal the decision within 15 calendar days after receipt of the response to the entire ADA Project Team.
(E) Within 15 calendar days after receipt of the complaint, the ADA Project Team will meet with the complainant to discuss the complaint and the possible resolutions. Within 15 calendar days of the meeting, the ADA Project Team will respond in writing, and where appropriate, in a format accessible to the complainant. The response will explain the position of the ADA Project Team and offer options for substantive resolution of the complaint if different from those indicated by the sub-ADA Project Team in the first step.
(F) If the response by the ADA Project Team does not satisfactorily resolve the issue, the complainant and/or his or her designee may appeal the decision within 15 calendar days after receipt of the response to the Board of Commissioners.
(G) Within 15 calendar days after receipt of the appeal, the Board of Commissioners will meet with the complainant to discuss the complaint and possible resolutions. Within 15 calendar days after the meeting, the Board of Commissioners will respond in writing, and, where appropriate, in a format accessible to the complainant, with a final resolution of the complaint.
(H) All written complaints received by the ADA Coordinator, appeals to the ADA Project Team, appeals to the Board of Commissioners, and responses from these groups will be retained by the county for at least three years.
(Ord. 2011-30-CM, passed 11-21-11)