(A) Woodford County complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended by the Civil Rights Act of 1991, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability and protects qualified applicants and employees with disabilities from discrimination in hiring, promotion, discharge, pay, job training, fringe benefits and other aspects of employment.
(B) The county will provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with a disability who, with or without an accommodation, can perform the essential functions of the job, unless the accommodation will impose an undue hardship for the county.
(1) Any person (employee or citizen) who believes that he or she has been subjected to prohibited discrimination may personally or by a representative file a complaint with the office of the County Judge/Executive. A person who has not personally been subjected to discrimination may also file a complaint.
(2) When a person (citizen, applicant or employee) believes he or she has been adversely affected by an act or decision by the county, and that the act or decision was based on handicapped status, that person shall have the right to process a complaint or grievance in accordance with the following procedure:
(a) Step One: An aggrieved person must submit a written statement to the County Judge/Executive setting forth the nature of the discrimination alleged and facts upon which the allegation is based.
(b) Step Two: The Judge/Executive shall contact the complainant no later than 15 days after receiving the written statement to establish an informal meeting with the objective of resolving the matter informally. However, in no case shall the informal meeting be conducted sooner than 5 days nor more than 45 days after receiving the written statement.
(c) Step Three: Within 15 days of the informal meeting, the County Judge/Executive shall issue a written decision on the matter.
(d) Step Four: After the meeting with the Judge/Executive, the aggrieved person may make a written request, within 7 days after the response of the Judge/Executive is due, to meet with the Woodford County Fiscal Court. The meeting shall be at the next scheduled court meeting if the request has been made at least 5 days prior to the next scheduled Fiscal Court meeting. If not, then the meeting shall be at the subsequent meeting.
(e) Step Five: The Judge/Executive, with the approval of the Fiscal Court, shall respond in writing within 10 calendar days of the Fiscal Court meeting with the aggrieved person. The decision shall be the final procedure for the complainant at the local level.
(3) Written documentation of the discussions held at the hearings with the aggrieved person and the Judge/Executive and the Woodford County Fiscal Court shall be prepared and shall be preserved in the records of the Woodford County Fiscal Court.
(Order 10, passed 5-27-1998)