ADA Notice
In accordance with the requirements of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of1990 (ADA), STEPS, Inc. will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities on the basis of disability in its services, programs, or activities.
Employment: STEPS, Inc. does not discriminate on the basis of disability in its hiring or employment practices and complies with all regulations promulgated by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission under Title II of the ADA.
Effective Communication: STEPS, Inc. will generally, upon request, provide appropriate aids and services leading to effective communication for qualified persons with disabilities so they can participate equally in STEPS, Inc.’s programs, services and activities, including qualified sign language interpreters, documents in Braille, and other ways of making information and communications accessible to people who have speech, hearing, or vision impairments.
Modifications to Policies and Procedures: STEPS, Inc. will make all reasonable modifications to policies and programs to ensure that people with disabilities have an equal opportunity to enjoy all of its programs, services, and activities. Anyone who requires an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication, or a modification of policies or procedures to participate in a STEPS, Inc. program, service, or activity, should contact STEPS, Inc.’s Vice President of Administration and Compliance as soon as possible but no later than 48 hours before the scheduled event.
The ADA does not require STEPS, Inc. to take any action that would fundamentally alter the nature of its programs or services or impose any undue financial or administrative burden.
Complaints that a STEPS, Inc. program, service, or activity is not accessible to persons with disabilities should be directed to STEPS, Inc.’s Vice President of Administration and Compliance. Complaints directed toward transportation funded by the Department of Rail and Public Transportation (DRPT) and administered by STEPS should be directed to the DRPT ADA Coordinator.
STEPS, Inc. will not place a surcharge on a particular individual with a disability or any group of individuals with disabilities to cover the cost of providing auxiliary aids/services or reasonable modifications of policy.
ADA GRIEVANCE PROCEDURES
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 STEPS, Inc.
The Complaint should be in writing and contain information about the alleged discrimination such as name, address, phone number of complainant, location, date, and description of the alleged discrimination. Alternative means of filing complaints, such as personal interviews or tape recording of the complaint, will be made available for persons with disabilities upon request.
The complaint should be submitted by the complainant and/or their designee as soon as possible but no later than 60 calendar days after the alleged violation to:
STEPS, Inc.
Vice President of Administration and Compliance
225 Industrial Park Road
Farmville, VA 23901
434-315-5909 Ext. 209
Within 15 calendar days after receipt of the complaint the Vice President of Administration and Compliance or their designee will meet with the complainant to discuss the complaint and the possible resolution. Within 15 calendar days of the meeting the Vice President of Administration and Compliance or their designee 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 STEPS, Inc.’s position and offer options for substantive resolution of the complaint.
If STEPS, Inc.’s response does not satisfactorily resolve the issue, the complainant and/or their designee may appeal the decision within 15 calendar days after receipt of the response to the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation.
All written complaints received by the Vice President of Administration and Compliance or their designee, appeals to the Department of Rail and Public Transportation or their designee, and responses from these two offices will be retained by STEPS, Inc. for at least three years.