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Factsheet: PAS Facts Vol 2
by Ed Turner
Available formats: PDF
Finding a Workplace Personal Assistant
What is a WPA?
People with disabilities believe Personal Assistance Services (PAS) are services that are only used in the home to assist individuals to remain independent. Over the past 20 years people with severe disabilities have discovered they can use PAS services in the workplace as a reasonable job accommodation and con-sider a workplace PAS a necessary to perform the essential job functions.
It is important for employees with disabilities to understand what workplace PAS is and is not. A workplace PA does not mean that someone will be performing the job duties or that they will be expected to take care of daily personal needs, it is not the employer’s responsibility to provide this type of service. A workplace PA is used only to provide assistance with the actual job tasks to increase the efficiency and productivity of employees with disabilities. Employers are responsible to provide this accommodation under Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Employees need to work with their employer to find the right individual to provide this valuable on the job support.
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