Employees and Visitors
Faculty, staff, and visitors with disabilities at San Francisco State University are protected under section 504 to receive the services and accommodations to which they are entitled under federal law. This process is for employees and visitors who do not agree with a reasonable accommodation decision made by Employee Accommodations.
Appeals Process:
- Informal or Formal resolution available.
- The appeal should be in writing, clearly stating the issue presented. If an alternative method of filing is necessary please request.
- The appeal must be submitted with-in 30 days of the denial of the accommodation.
- If the appeal cannot be resolved informally, a formal review will occur.
- The 504/ADA coordinator has 30 days from the appeal submission to issue a final decision pending all information has been timely submitted.
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Informal Resolution
If you have any questions related to an accommodation decision made by Employee Accommodations unit, you are highly encouraged to speak with the Associate Director of Benefits, Leave Programs, Employee Accommodations, and Retirement Services before taking any further steps. This may be the fastest path toward resolution.
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Formal Resolution
If you are not satisfied with the outcome of a decision made by Associate Director of Benefits, Leave Programs, Employee Accommodations, and Retirement Services, you may contact the 504 /ADA Coordinator.
Employee Accommodations wants to work with you to resolve your problem in a timely manner whenever possible.
Any employee or visitor who believes they have experienced discrimination or harassment based on disability may file a complaint with San Francisco State University's Office for Civil Rights and Title IX.
However, at any point in this process, employees and visitors are welcome to contact the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education below:
Office for Civil Rights U.S. Department of Education
50 United Nations Plaza
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 486-5555
(415) 486-5570 Fax
(877) 521-2172 TTY
Email: OCR.SanFrancisco@ed.gov
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
Phone: 800-669-4000 (toll-free) or 800-669-6820 (toll-free TTY number for individuals with hearing impairments). EEOC field office information is available on the EEOC website.
San Francisco State University (SFSU) is committed to ensuring an inclusive, accessible, and equitable
campus for all members of our community. This memo provides a summary of SFSU’s obligations under
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as
well as our policies for addressing disability discrimination, in accordance with California State University
(CSU) Executive Orders.
PDF Version- SFSU Responsibilities Under Section 504 and Title II; Complaint Policies and Procedures
Under Section 504 and Title II, SFSU is required to ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided equal
access to programs, services, activities, and physical spaces, both academic and non-academic. It includes
the following:
• Program Accessibility
o All university programs, including academic courses, extracurricular activities, and public events,
must be accessible to individuals with disabilities.
o This includes providing reasonable accommodations (e.g., sign language interpreters, note-
taking services, exam modifications, accessible course materials).
• Physical Accessibility
o University facilities must comply with ADA standards to ensure barrier-free access.
o New construction and major renovations must be fully accessible, while existing facilities must be
modified where necessary to achieve program access.
• Digital Accessibility
o Online content, instructional materials, and university websites must meet accessibility standards
o WCAG 2.1
SFSU has developed procedures for responding to complaints of disability discrimination, as required under
Section 504 and Title II. These procedures align with CSU system-wide policies, including:
• Interim Nondiscrimination Policy (EO 1095)
• Executive Order 1111: Covers system-wide policies on disability support and accommodations.
Complaint Process Overview:
• Any student may appeal any reasonable accommodation decision made by Disability Programs and
Resource Center by filing an appeal at any time. An appeals officer will review the appeal.
• Any employee or visitor may appeal any reasonable accommodation decision made by Employee Accommodations. An appeals officer will review the appeal.
• Any student, employee, or visitor who believes they have experienced discrimination or harassment
based on disability may file a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights and Title IX.
• Confidentiality is maintained to the extent possible, and retaliation against individuals who report
concerns is strictly prohibited.
For more information or assistance regarding accessibility or filing a complaint, please contact:
Human Resources
https://hr.sfsu.edu/employee-accommodations-services / hrwww@sfsu.edu /415-338-1872
Disability Programs and Resource Center (DPRC)
https://access.sfsu.edu / dprc@sfsu.edu / 415-338-2472
Office for Civil Rights and Title IX
https://titleix.sfsu.edu / ocrtitleix@sfsu.edu / 415-338-3892
Resources and reporting options are publicly available on SFSU’s website and are regularly shared in employee and student training. Employee Accommodations works in collaboration with Disability Programs and Resource Center (DPRC) to ensure compliance and support employees and students in navigating accommodation and access needs.
We highly recommend the following trainings:
COMPLIANCE SHORT: Accommodating Disabilities
COMPLIANCE SHORT: Accommodating Disabilities 2
COMPLIANCE SHORT: Non-disability Accommodations
CSU-Serving Students with Disabilities: Introduction
Partnering with Services for Students with Disabilities Offices for Student Success
Introduction to disability and accessibility
Introduction to Web Accessibility
SFSU remains deeply committed to creating an accessible and respectful environment for all. Your role in
supporting compliance with Section 504, Title II, and CSU policies is essential to that mission.