Personal Assistant Services (PAS) Information
- What is Personal Assistance Services (PAS)?
Personal assistance services differ from medical services and services that are typically performed by someone who often has the job title of “personal assistant.” Personal assistance services are non-medical services that allow individuals with targeted disabilities to perform basic human activities of daily living such as eating, removing and putting on clothing, and using the restroom. A full list of targeted disabilities can be found in NARA 303, Processing Reasonable Accommodation Requests for Employees and Applicants with Disabilities, Section 303.4m. Personal assistance services are not the same as services that help the individuals perform job-related tasks, such as filing, or using a computer.
- What is NARA’s responsibility?
NARA is required to provide personal assistant services (PAS) to NARA employees with targeted disabilities who need assistance with basic activities of daily living such as eating, removing and putting on clothing, and using the restroom unless doing so will impose an undue hardship on the Agency. These services are required by federal agencies as an aspect of affirmative action pursuant to 29 C.F.R. § 1614.203(d)(5). These services are also required under Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibits discrimination based on disability, as long as the provision of such services does not impose an undue hardship.
- What are the procedures for requesting PAS?
a. An employee may request PAS the same way they request RA (using NA form 3043 Confirmation of Reasonable Accommodation Request).
b. The employee must indicate which types of basic human functions are to be assisted within the request.
c. If the employee needs assistance with job-related tasks, he/she may submit a separate request for RA to address the essential functions of the job.
d. The process for determining whether such services can be provided by NARA will follow the same protocol as on the regular RA requests.
- How will PAS be paid for?
Each program office will be responsible for funding each approved PAS request. NARA’s Disability Program Manager will assist employees and program offices to find the appropriate service contractors when the need arises.