POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION

PERSONAL ASSISTANCE SERVICE 

PROCEDURES

The purpose of this document is to establish the Postal Regulatory Commission 

(Commission) procedures on handling requests for Personal Assistance Services (PAS) in 

accordance with 29 C.F.R. §1614.203(d)(5) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

On January 3, 2017, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) amended

the regulations implementing Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; the law

prohibits the federal government from discriminating in employment on the basis of

disability and requires it to engage in affirmative action for people with disabilities.

This amendment requires federal agencies to provide Personal Assistance Services

(PAS) to individuals who need them because of certain disabilities. 

The final rule requires Federal agencies to provide "personal assistance services" (PAS) as 

a form of affirmative action. PAS provide employees with targeted disabilities "assistance 

with performing activities of daily living that an individual would typically perform if they 

did not have a disability, and that is not otherwise required as a reasonable 

accommodation, including, for example, assistance with removing and putting on clothing, 

eating, and using the restroom." PAS must be performed by a personal assistance service 

provider. In addition, PAS must be provided to employees who need them when they 

telework under an agency's telework policy or telework as a reasonable accommodation

or when needed because of job-related travel. An employee receiving PAS in the office or 

while teleworking must still request PAS for job-related travel as the Commission will not 

necessarily know that PAS is required for travel simply because an employee regularly 

receives PAS while at the worksite or while teleworking. It is also possible that an 

employee may require different PAS for travel than usually required. Since PAS for jobrelated travel are also considered a form of reasonable accommodation, requests for these 

services will be handled as requests for reasonable accommodation.

Employees do not need to determine if what they need is a reasonable accommodation or 

PAS; they should simply contact their supervisor or HR and explain what they need. HR 

will determine whether the request is for reasonable accommodation or PAS and proceed 

accordingly.
The Commission must provide PAS if an employee requires them because of a "targeted 

disability", and provision of these services would, together with any reasonable 

accommodations required, enable an employee to perform the essential functions of a 

position the individual holds or desires, and provision of such services would not impose 

an undue hardship on the Commission. The Commission is prohibited from taking any 

adverse action against job applicants or employees based on their need, or perceived 

need, for PAS.

The Commission has designated HR to conduct the interactive process, request medical 

information as necessary, and determine whether to grant or deny PAS. HR handles all 

requests for PAS, even those requests made to a supervisor or manager.

REQUESTING PERSONAL ASSISTANCE SERVICES

Requesting PAS is similar to requesting a reasonable accommodation. An individual may 

request PAS by informing their supervisor or Human Resources (HR) that he or she

needs assistance with daily life activities because of a medical condition. The individual 

does not need to mention Section 501 or the EEOC’s regulations explicitly, or use terms

such as “PAS” or “affirmative action” to trigger the agency’s obligation to consider the 

request.

HR oversees the Commission’s PAS program. HR will process requests for PAS in a prompt

and efficient manner in accordance with the time frames set forth in these procedures. If a 

request is given to a supervisor rather than directly to HR, the supervisor should forward 

the request to HR (HR@prc.gov) within two business days.

HR will contact the employee within 10 business days after the request is made (even if 

the request is initially made to someone else) to begin discussing the PAS request. HR will 

ask the employee what types of PAS he or she needs using the same type of informal, 

interactive process used for reasonable accommodation (see Reasonable Accommodation 

Policy).

Communication is a priority throughout the entire process, but particularly where the 

specific limitation, problem, or barrier is unclear. Both the requestor and the decision 

maker should work together to identify effective PAS.

HR will complete processing of the request within 30 business days, absent extenuating 

circumstances, after the request was first received by either HR or another designated 

individual. Completion of processing includes provision of PAS, if granted. The 30-day 

period may be extended if medical documentation is requested and/or if there are 

"extenuating circumstances." "Expedited processing" may sometimes be required.
APPROVAL OF PERSONAL ASSISTANCE SERVICES

If a request for PAS is granted, HR will provide the requestor with a written explanation of 

the PAS to be provided, and discuss implementation of the PAS. If the request is approved 

but the PAS cannot be provided immediately, HR will inform the individual in writing of 

the projected time frame for providing the service(s).

DENIAL OF PERSONAL ASSISTANCE SERVICES

If a request for PAS is denied, HR will provide the requestor with a written explanation of 

the reason(s) for the denial, to include why the PAS would result in an undue hardship.

SELECTING A PAS PROVIDER

The Commission may use federal employees, independent contractors, or a combination 

of employees and contractors to perform personal assistance services. If the Commission

is hiring a PAS provider who will be assigned to a single individual, and if that individual 

prefers a particular provider, then the Commission will give primary consideration to the 

employee’s choice to the extent permitted by law. However, it may not be possible to 

honor the individual’s preference in all cases.

INQUIRIES

Managers, employees or applicants wanting further information concerning these 

procedures may contact HR via e-mail at HR@prc.gov.