The Office of Employee Relations provides advice and consultation in matters relating to maintaining employer-employee relationships that contribute to satisfactory productivity, motivation, and morale. Employee Relations is concerned with preventing and resolving problems involving individuals which arise out of or affect work situations.
Employee Relations guides employees, supervisors, and departments in establishing and maintaining positive employment relationships that adhere to NKU’s policies, as well as conducts exit interviews.
Employee Relations for Supervisors Employee Relations for Employees
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in the university's programs and activities. Sexual harassment, including sexual violence, and retaliation are forms of discrimination prohibited by Title IX.
To file a report please contact Human Resources for Faculty and Staff at (859) 572-5200.
What is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?
The ADA prohibits employment discrimination against "qualified individuals with disabilities". A qualified individual with a disability is one who meets the skill, experience, education, and other job-related requirements of a position held or desired, and who, with or without reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of a job.
How do you qualify for ADA?
In order to be eligible to request a reasonable accommodation under the ADA,
Useful Terms to Know
Reasonable Accommodation: an act that does not cause undue hardship on the operation of business (NKU)
Undue Hardship: any accommodation that is “excessively costly, extensive, substantial, or disruptive, or that would fundamentally alter the nature or operation of the business." NKU considers factors such as the nature and cost of the accommodation, and the impact on the department that provides the accommodation.
Direct Threat: a health or safety risk to the employee or others that could cause substantial harm
Disability: a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity, record of such impairment, bring regarded as having such impairment
Major life activity: including, but not limited to: caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping, walking, standing, lifting, bending, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, and working. A major life activity may also include operation of a major bodily function, including but not limited to: functions of the immune system, normal cell growth, digestive, bladder, neurological, brain, respiratory, circulatory, endocrine, and reproductive functions
Steps to Apply for ADA
If the Accommodation is Approved:
The employee is responsible for contacting HR if the accommodation is not implemented in an effective and timely manner. HR will then take necessary steps to ensure full implementation.
If the Accommodation is Denied:
HR will send the employee an email outlining why the request was denied.
Information about the Process:
At any point NKU may seek advice from third party experts. All information will be kept confidential.
NKU reserves the right to recertify the qualified disability. If recertification is deemed necessary, the employee will receive written notice.
Resources:
Pregnant Workers Fairness Act
On December 22, 2022, the U.S. Congress passed the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act. The PWFA went into effect on June 27, 2023.
The PWFA provides reasonable accommodations to employees for known limitations to pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions unless the accommodation would cause undue hardship to the employer. Accommodations can include:
Written requests for accommodation should be directed to Human Resources, at which time NKU will engage in an interactive process with the pregnant employee to determine a proper accommodation.
Breastfeeding rooms are located in FH 362 and MEP 434. Please visit the Wellness website for more information.
The following offices have been designated to handle inquiries regarding non-discrimination policies:
