Accommodations Related to COVID-19
Ohio State has instituted new health and wellness protocols developed to help protect the entire Buckeye community. The university is committed to ensuring that individuals who are vulnerable to COVID-19 or who face particular challenges because of the pandemic can learn and work as safely as possible.
Student accommodations
The protocol for students reporting COVID-19 has changed as of Autumn 2023.
SLDS is no longer sending out short-term academic flexibility letters for those testing positive for COVID-19.
Instead, instructors are advised to provide 5 days of flexibility upon your reporting this status directly to them. This change was approved by the Office of Student Life, Office of Institutional Equity, and the Provost's Office.
Students who have tested positive for COVID-19 should immediately follow the instructions and links on this website on how to:
1) report your status to Columbus Public Health to receive an isolation notice, if required and
2) Inform and keep a record of all correspondence with your instructors requesting supported participation and academic flexibility for your isolation period.
You or your instructors are welcome to contact us with questions. If your instructors are not providing you with flexibility or if you need to request additional accommodations beyond when you are cleared from isolation, please contact our office as soon as you are able at slds@osu.edu.
Faculty and staff accommodations
The Office of Human Resources works with employees who are most vulnerable to complications from COVID-19 and their supervisors to ensure that these individuals have the necessary resources to work as safely as possible. Through the Workplace Accommodation Request, individuals are asked to:
- Identify and attest that their health factor places them at greater risk of serious illness if they contract COVID-19.
- Provide details about their work environment concerns.
- Indicate what needs and resources they feel are necessary to perform their job safely.
Workplace Accommodations, are specifically for individuals requesting a modification for the employees own health condition which is impacted by COVID-19. For more specific human resources and FAQs concerning COVID-19, including work accommodations related to COVID-19, please visit the Human Resources site.
The university supports maximum flexibility to help our faculty, staff and student employees balance the demands of work and home life during this COVID-19 pandemic. To minimize the spread of illness, the university expects that remote work options are supported in all cases for employees where remote work is feasible. Read the full statement about flexibility at work on the Office of Human Resources website.
Visitor accommodations
The university is committed to ensuring that all individuals who are vulnerable to COVID-19 or who face particular challenges because of the pandemic can participate in university life as safely as possible. Visitors who would like to request an accommodation related to COVID-19 should contact the Americans With Disabilities Act Coordinator's Office at ADA-OSU@osu.edu or 614-292-6207.