Use enter to open, Escape to close
Human Resources

Town of Smithfield ADA Compliance Notice

Revised: September 12, 2017 

 

Notice Under the Americans with Disabilities Act

In accordance with the requirements of title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), the Town of Smithfield will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities on the basis of disability in its services, programs, or activities.

Employment: The Town of Smithfield 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 Opportunity Commission under title I of the ADA.

Effective Communication: The Town of Smithfield will generally, upon request, provide appropriate aids and services leading to effective communication for qualified persons with disabilities so they can participate equally in the Town of Smithfield’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: The Town of Smithfield 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. For example, individuals with service animals are welcomed in the Town of Smithfield’s offices, even where pets are generally prohibited.

Anyone who requires auxiliary aid or service for effective communication, or a modification of policies or procedures to participate in a program, service, or activity of the Town of Smithfield, should contact The Town of Smithfield ADA Coordinator, as soon as possible but no later than 48 hours before the scheduled event. 

(Mailing)
PO Box 761
Smithfield, NC 27577

(Physical) 
350 East Market Street 
Smithfield, NC 27577 
Telephone: 919-934-2116 x1109

Keep in mind that while we work very hard to meet everyone's needs, the ADA does not require the Town of Smithfield to take any action that would fundamentally alter the nature of our programs or services, or impose an undue financial or administrative burden.

Complaints that a program, service, or activity of the Town of Smithfield is not accessible to persons with disabilities should be directed to the Town of Smithfield ADA Coordinator, Shannan Parrish. Alternative means of filing complaints, such as personal interview or tape recording of the complaint will be made available for persons with disabilities upon request.

The Town of Smithfield 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, such as retrieving items from locations that are open to the public but are not accessible to persons who use wheelchairs.

________________________________________

The Town of Smithfield Grievance Procedure under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Revised: September 12, 2017

Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that public entities adopt and publish grievance procedures to assure the prompt and equitable resolution of complaints. The purpose of this ADA grievance procedure is to implement procedures that assure that any employee or citizen who has a grievance alleging non-compliance by the Town of Smithfield with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act may report and resolve that grievance by following the procedure outlined below.

Employee: Any employee who has a complaint alleging non-compliance by the Town of Smithfield with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act shall resolve that complaint using the grievance procedure outlined in the Town of Smithfield Employee Handbook.

Citizens: Any citizen who wishes to file a complaint alleging discrimination on the basis of disability in the provision of services, activities, programs, or benefits by the Town of Smithfield may report the grievance to the ADA Coordinator for the Town of Smithfield.

The grievance shall be made in writing and submitted on the grievance report form. Alternative means of filing grievances or complaints, such as personal interview or tape recording of the complaint, will be made available for persons with disabilities upon request.

The complaint should be submitted by the grievant and or his/her designee as soon as possible but no later than 60 calendar days after the alleged violation to:

ADA Coordinator
PO Box 761
Smithfield, NC 27577

Within 21 calendar days after receipt of the complaint, the ADA Coordinator or designee will review the complaint and may meet with the grievant, either in person or by telephone, to discuss the complaint and possible resolutions, if the ADA Coordinator or designee determines such a meeting would be helpful to the determination. Within 21 calendar days after the meeting, or within 30 days after receipt of the complaint if there is no meeting, the ADA Coordinator or the designee will respond in writing, and where appropriate, in a format accessible to the grievant.

If the response by the ADA Coordinator or designee does not resolve the issue to the satisfaction of the grievant, the grievant and/or his/her designee may within 30 calendar days of the date of the ADA Coordinator's written response, appeal the decision to the Town Manager. Any appeal should be in writing. Alternative means of filing an appeal, such as personal interviews or a tape recording of the appeal, may be made available for persons with disabilities requiring use of such alternate means upon request.

Within 21 calendar days after receipt of the appeal, the Town Manager or a designee may meet with the grievant, either in person or by telephone, to discuss the complaint and possible resolutions, if the Town Manager or designee determines such a meeting would be helpful to the determination. Within 21 calendar days after the meeting, or within 30 days after receipt of the appeal if there is no meeting, the Town Manager or the designee will respond in writing, and where appropriate, in a format accessible to the grievant, with a final resolution of the grievance or complaint.

All written complaints received by the Human Resources Department or his/her designee, appeals to the Town Manager or his/her designee, and/or responses from these two offices will be retained by the Town of Smithfield for at least five years.

Download the Town of Smithfield ADA Compliance Complaint Form (PDF)