Employment Testing of Persons with Diasabling Conditions - IPAC

introduce new equipment, and then develop testing accommodations to match
those changes, normally exceed the time frames in which testing is conducted.
Sometimes insight is hard to acquire, and solutions take time and effort to
develop. As an integral part of any formal program for testing accommodation
for the disabled, it is recommended that a central resource file be developed
and maintained. As new forms of acconmodation are researched and utilized, a
description of the disability accomnodated, the nature of the job for which
the candidate is being tested, the nature of the acconmodation employed, the
resources used to develop the accommodation, copies of the resulting
assessment device and instructions for its use, and an evaluation of the
relative success or failure of the acconmodation should be documented. Over
time, such a resource file will evolve into an extremely useful guide. It
will also facilitate the handling of subsequent requests for the acconmodation
of similar disabilities.
A feature of Pennsylvania's program is that eligible lists developed by
the Commission do not differentiate between disabled and non-disabled
candidates. No special identifiers are used. The scores of all candidates
whose names appear on the lists are presumed to be reflective of their
relative abilities to perform on the job, irrespective of disabling
conditions. Although this presumption may be somewhat idealistic, it does
eliminate one potential source of discrimination. (It also underscores the
importance of insuring that the testing accommodations provided give disabled
candidates the opportunity to fully demonstrate their true capabilities.)
Pennsylvania does not have a job set-aside program for the disabled, as
does the State of New York. The merits of set-aside programs can be debated.
In my view, they are highly desirable, but subject to failure unless certain
conditions
are met.
First, it is essential to have a high level of commitment to the program
from all parties involved, including the administration, agency managers, and
any unions with whom the jurisdiction may have contractual arrangements.
Without support, nothing of substance will occur.
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