Filing a Reasonable Accommodation Request| AFGE Local 2883

Filing a Reasonable accommodation (RA) Request

Key points

Medical information: CDC/HHS can only request details directly related to your disability and need for an accommodation—not unrelated health records.

New RA process (after CDC RA office closure, April 1, 2025): Requests now go through HHS with a three‑step process—submit in ATS, get temporary supervisor approval, and (if telework) file an agreement in TMS.

Supervisor approval is crucial: Their confirmation email serves as your official temporary RA and allows you to use the accommodation right away.

Telework requests: Submit both the ATS confirmation and supervisor approval in the Telework Management System; multiple levels of review may take time but you can start teleworking once your supervisor approves.

Renewal required: Temporary RAs expire every 90 days, so you must repeat supervisor approval (and TMS agreement if telework) until HHS issues a permanent decision.

Medical Documentation for Accommodations

HHS/CDC is entitled only to information sufficient to show that you have a disability and need a reasonable accommodation. They may not ask for information unrelated to the condition for which the accommodation has been requested.

The type of medical information an agency most often will need is:

The past, present, and expected future nature, severity and duration of the condition (e.g., functional limitations, symptoms, side effects of any treatments, etc.).

The activities the condition limits.

The extent of the limitations.

Why you require the reasonable accommodation.

How the reasonable accommodation will assist you in performing essential functions of your job.

If the information you provide is insufficient for the HHS/CDC to process the request, they should ask for additional information. They should explain why the documentation is insufficient and specify what additional specific information is needed. You will be granted additional time to gather the additional requested information.

How to File a RA at HHS/CDC

Because the CDC RA office has been eliminated via the April 1st 1, 2025, RIF, requesting a RA works slightly differently from what is described on CDC’s RA website.

Most recently, CDC provided the following instructions via email. We have edited these instructions for clarity.

Submit a RA request in three steps; each step is described in more detail below:

Submit a request in the Reasonable Accommodation Tracking System (ATS; ats.crm9.dynamics.com; link only works inside of CDC network; see below for step-by-step instructions).
Get approval for temporary RA from your supervisor.
If your RA involves telework, complete a new extended telework agreement in TMS.

Step 1: Submit Request to the Reasonable Accommodations Tracking System (ATS)

If you want, you can discuss your intention to request a RA with your supervisor before submitting a request to the ATS. It’s probably a polite and considerate thing to do, but it is not required. It’s up to you if you want to do this or not. But, your supervisor’s role in your RA request is to approve that your job can be done with the RA you request. If you are requesting telework and you teleworked prior to March 17, 2025, then your job can be done with the RA you are requesting.

To submit a request to the ATS:

On the CDC network, go to this link: https://ats.crm9.dynamics.com/
Click “New” at the top.
Accept the terms.
Ensure your name is correct in both the Employee and Request Originator fields. Click “Continue”.
Click “Acknowledge” on the Notice popup.
Verify that your information is correct in first section under “Accommodation Request”.
Do not put any information in the “Time-sensitive Issues?” box and leave the 3rd party representation set to “no” unless someone has told you to do otherwise.
In the “Accommodations Details” section, click on “New.”
In the section that pops up (“Quick Create: Accommodation Detail”, in “Accommodation Category” type in “Telework.”
In “Accommodation Type”, type in “Full time telework.”
In “Request Details”, include a message that describes WHAT accommodation you need. Your supervisor can see the information typed into this field, so DO NOT include medical information. Examples of possible requests are:

Requesting part-time telework for recurring medical appointments

Requesting partial adjustment in duties to accommodate a medical condition

Requesting full-time telework following the attack on 8/8 to accommodate anxiety provoked by witnessing violence in the workplace.

Click “Save and Close.”

12. DO NOT upload any medical documents to the ATS system at this point. A representative of the RA office will contact you to discuss the WHY of your accommodation request and tell you what documentation is needed.

13. Finally, click “Submit Request” in the first box next to your name.

You should get an automated email from ATS after you submit. Save this as a PDF for a later step.

Step 2: Get Approval for Temporary RA from your Supervisor

Forward the email you receive from the ATS to your supervisor and CC eeosc.accommodations@hhs.gov. In the body of the email, explain that you need them to approve that your job can be done with the temporary RA request for (describe the RA, e.g. telework) in place. Download this RA approval template for language your supervisor can use. This language was suggested by HR.

Your supervisor should reply to the email you forwarded in the previous step stating that your job can be done with the RA you requested. This constitutes approval of your temporary RA request.

You should receive a response from HHS that acknowledges your request. Currently, it says that it may take up to 5 days to hear back from them. In our experience, the backlog is much greater than 5 days. Some have been waiting as long as 5 months with no contact from the EEOSC.

If your supervisor does NOT approve your request, then email us immediately at ra@afge2883ga.org so we can strategize next steps.

Save a PDF copy of this email for your personal records; it is your official documentation of your temporary RA.

If your temporary RA involves telework, you will also need to upload this PDF copy to the Telework Management System (TMS; telework.cdc.gov), see step 3 below.

Step 3: Submit an Extended Telework Agreement

Lastly, please submit a new telework agreement in TMS for review and approval (telework.cdc.gov; in the CDC network).

Click “Create a New Agreement.”
Click “Create or renew a Long-Term Telework Agreement.”
The TMS telework agreement request time range should correspond to match the 90-day temporary RA interim approval time range.
Toward the center of the page on the “Telework Details” tab, click on “Browse” and select each of your two PDFs:
- The auto-generated Accommodation Requests System ATS confirmation email titled “A Reasonable Accommodation request has been submitted – RA/FY202# - #####/[Branch].”
- The “approval” email from your supervisor approving the request to telework.
Fill in details.
Click “Save Changes.”
Click “Safety Checklist” tab; complete the description and checklist.
Click “Save Changes.”
Click “Terms and Conditions” and ensure it is all correct.
Click “Summary & Actions,” and click “Submit this Request.”

Once the documentation is uploaded, OHR/WRO will review and respond. Multiple levels of approval are required for telework agreements.

Your agreement does not need to be fully approved for you to start teleworking. The email from your supervisor that approves your temporary RA is the legal permission for you to telework. The telework agreement is CDC specific and is not necessary for you to use your accommodation.

Ongoing Steps

Because temporary RAs expire every calendar 90 days, you will have to prompt your supervisor for a new temporary agreement and submit a new telework agreement every calendar 90 days until your RA is permanently approved by EEOSC. You only need to submit to the ATS system once.