WSDOT - Diversity and ADA Affairs

Our Commitment to Diversity and Equal Access

The Washington State Department of Transportation is committed to fostering a diverse workplace that represents the communities it serves. Toward this end, the ADA and Diversity Affairs Unit within the Office of Human Resources supports this commitment through:

Developing and implementing the agency’s Affirmative Action and ADA/504 Transition plans as required by federal and state law and in accordance with agency policy.
Building of partnerships at all levels of WSDOT to promote and increase diversity awareness, equal opportunity and accessibility for people with disabilities with respect to employment and access to public accommodations.
Identifying opportunities to increase and enhance a diverse workforce through the development and execution of innovative and contemporary retention and recruitment strategies.
Providing programming aimed at increasing diversity awareness across all of WSDOT.
Encouraging agency dialogue and accountability for WSDOT’s diversity programs through the use of internal advisory groups and public stakeholder outreach efforts.

WSDOT is committed to equal opportunity and Affirmative Action as well as providing a workplace which is free of discrimination and sexual harassment. To learn more, view Executive Order 1014.04 as well as the Secretary of Transportation’s Commitment to Affirmative Action .

ADA and Accessibility

WSDOT is committed to providing equal access to its facilities, programs and services for persons with disabilities. View Executive Order 1069.01 for details.

View the brochure (pdf 960 kb)

How to Request a Public Accommodation

As a member of the public, you may request reasonable accommodation to access WSDOT programs, services or activities. Requests may include but are not limited to:

Printed materials in alternative formats
Sign language interpreters
Assisted listening devices
Web site accessibility/PDF document conversion
Public facility accessibility
Ferry passenger access

To make a request, fill out the Public Request for Reasonable Accommodation form (pdf 28 kb) or email the WSDOT ADA Compliance Team or call toll-free at 855-362-4ADA(232).

Reasonable Accommodation and Employment

WSDOT will not deny employment opportunities to an otherwise qualified individual with a disability because that individual requires reasonable accommodations to facilitate or continue employment, unless the accommodations would impose an undue hardship on the department. To learn more about WSDOT’s commitment to providing reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities, please read the WSDOT policy on Reasonable Accommodation and Procedures (Executive Order 1081.00), as well as Chapter 25 of the Human Resources Desk Manual. For additional questions, please contact Ryan Warner, WSDOT Statewide ADA Coordinator, at 360-705-6918 or toll-free at 855-362-4ADA(232).

ADA Design and Technical Assistance

The Roadside and Site Development section is part of the WSDOT Design Office and provides:

Leadership in project development, policy, research, training, and analysis
Technical expertise for effective roadside management
Assistance with fulfilling the legal requirements of the ADA
Project delivery that integrates ADA requirements into WSDOT facilities

In addition, WSDOT Highways and Local Programs Division, Community Planning and Development section includes online tools and links designed to assist local agencies with their ADA compliance activities.

WSDOT ADA Transition Plan

Comprehensive ADA Transition Plan Update (pdf, 180 kb) (txt, 51 kb)

Disability Etiquette

Learn to interact more effectively with people who have disabilities. View our guide to disability etiquette and respectful language (pdf, 77 kb) (txt, 8 kb) .

Equal Employment Opportunity, Affirmative Action, and Diversity

The Office of Human Resources is charged with ensuring that the agency's facilities, programs, services, and workplace are free from sexual harassment and discrimination on the basis of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, military/veteran status, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability in accordance with agency policy, state and federal law.

The WSDOT Internal Civil Rights program provides training, reasonable accommodation, investigations, equal employment compliance, affirmative action, and diversity events and activities. Primary responsibilities include:

Conducting diversity, sexual harassment and discrimination awareness, and ADA training to agency employees.
Conducting internal fact-finding investigations regarding allegations of discrimination or sexual harassment.
Reporting the agency's progress related to its EEO Assurances and other Affirmative Action goals.
Implementing the agency's ADA/504 compliance program.
Providing technical assistance and training regarding civil rights to agency human resource professionals and management.

For additional information on WSDOT Internal Civil Rights, please contact Diversity and ADA Affairs .

For information on the WSDOT External Civil Rights program, including Contractor Compliance or The Disadvantaged Business Enterprise program, please contact the Office of Equal Opportunity .

Title VI

Title VI is an anti-discrimination law based on the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, that prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, sex/gender, age, religion, creed, disability, veteran status, disabled veterans, and national origin. Title VI was designed as a broad remedial measure, rather than a punitive statute, to seek to remedy discrimination through conciliation and cooperation. Washington State RCW 49.60 , is based on the same premise and goes further to include prohibiting discrimination based on marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, and use of a service animal.

Affirmative Action and EEO Assurances

Affirmative Action is a tool used to ensure the Washington State Department of Transportation's commitment to equal employment opportunity in accordance with the principles, intent and purpose of federal and state laws and regulations. WSDOT is required to renew its Affirmative Action plan every five years according to Federal Highway Administration regulations and every three years per Federal Transit Administration regulations. The WSDOT Affirmative Action Plan provides detailed information on workforce demographics as well as an in-depth statistical analysis of the WSDOT internal workforce as compared to the labor market data provided in the U.S. Census.

WSDOT is also required to provide annual reports, called EEO Assurances, to FHWA every fiscal year. The EEO Assurances provides annual progress reports on current workforce data as well as diversity endeavors and recruitment strategies. WSDOT is committed to recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce consistent with agency policies and in compliance with both state and federal law. The EEO Assurances is the primary tool used to measure and report progress and furthermore identifies key strategies for accomplishing recruitment and retention goals. WSDOT Regions, Ferries and Headquarters administrations use this information to establish and monitor strategies to correct underutilization and employ a productive and diverse workforce.

Diversity Events

December 2012 - WSDOT Celebrates Religious Freedom
Each year, the President proclaims Jan. 16 as Freedom of Religion Day. WSDOT will recognize religious freedom through an educational display in the headquarters building from Dec. 21 through Jan 04, 2013. The display will include world facts about religion as well as various celebrations observed this time of year.

Discrimination Complaints and Grievances

Employees who believe they, or another WSDOT employee, have been subjected to sexual harassment or discrimination in the workplace, are encouraged to contact Scott Nicholson, the Statewide Investigation Compliance Coordinator at 206-515-3680.

Any individual, group or entity that believes they have been subjected to discrimination based on disability with regard to any WSDOT activity, facility, program, or service are encouraged to consult the WSDOT External ADA Grievance Procedures (pdf 71 kb) or contact the WSDOT ADA Compliance Team to file a complaint.

The Department conducts investigations of alleged acts of discrimination and harassment based on an individual’s civil rights. An investigation is defined as the process used to determine the facts to support or disprove a complaint or report of an alleged incident. The investigation seeks to gather and report the truth and all the facts.

To provide and maintain a workplace free from discrimination or harassment, the Department may pursue an inquiry into allegations of discrimination, harassment, or violation of policy or rules with or without authorization from the complainant.

Policies and Regulations

WAC 357-25
RCW 41.06.150
RCW 49.60
Governor’s Executive Order 93-07
Title VI
Title VII
23 CFR pt. 230 (c)
FTA Circular 4704.1

Contact Us

Contact WSDOT's Diversity and ADA Affairs team.

Persons who are hard of hearing may call Washington State Telecommunications Relay Service (TTY) at 711.

top

Diversity and ADA Affairs

Accessible Transportation

Related Links