April, 

April, 

Why didn't you just explain your situation when you first posted? You said you were student trying to find information, not someone who was already working and having an issue with accommodation. 

What you asked about was very unclear compared to your actual problem.

By definition, service animals are TASK trained to do something which mitigates a person's disability. Their function is to do something which the handler cannot do for themselves and which allows the handler to overcome an inability to perform major life activities. (Credit, I copied that from http://www.servicedogcentral.org/content/node/76)
  
It would seem to me that your Psychiatric Service Animal is useless in another room. Unless of course it is actually an emotional support animal, and not a PSA, in which case you don't have much of a legal defense.  

Barbra

Good Morning,
   
   I am working toward getting my education to become a museum professional. We talk about service dogs that are brought into the museum by the public, but I was wondering if anyone worked with a service dog handler who worked for the museum.  I ask this because I have a service dog.  I am having problems finding any information about this subject and was wondering if anyone has any information that can aid me.

   Has your museum worked with employees with service dogs? Does the museum have a policy regarding this? 


-----Original Message-----
From: Legatt, April Mary <[log in to unmask]>
To: MUSEUM-L <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sat, Mar 25, 2017 4:31 pm
Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Service dogs in museums

Barbra,

   Thanks for your suggestion.  I have read a lot about the various laws protecting service dogs and am quite familiar with them.  I have been looking into how other work environments, such as healthcare and food facilities, deal with service dogs but not much has been written about the employees with service dogs.  
  As for how the museums policy should comply with federal and state law, it should comply but often there is so much grey area that the laws are usually bent. Such as the current situation that I am in where one option that has been proposed is to keep my dog in a separate room closed off from storage while I am working in storage. This could be considered reasonable accommodations in that the dog will still be with me at work. However, I don't agree as I'm separated from my dog
  I have been doing research for many months regarding this subject, but I cannot find anything written about this type of situation.  
  Thanks
    April

Sent from my iPhone

On Mar 25, 2017, at 3:13 PM, B. Broidy <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

Hi April, this will not help you now as you already have a service dog, but may I suggest looking into whether a Standard Poodle could be of use for your particular needs in the future. I have owned one since childhood and know they are often used as service dogs. They do not shed and have much less dander than shedding dogs.

As for the hair/dander issues of being in collection areas, perhaps a portable Hepa air filter system would be all that is required to manage the shedding/dander issue. This would easily be considered a do-able accommodation. 

I believe a reasonable accommodation is basically anything that would not cause undue financial burden for the employer to provide in order for you to do your work. The answers to your questions are out there and easily researched. I suggest you do your homework on the internet first, before consulting with the List folks. You can read the laws and guidelines first-hand for yourself rather than ask museum professionals who do not generally have law degrees or legal expertise in ADA issues. 

I also think you were asking the wrong question in your initial posting. You asked about the museum's policy. The museum's policy should be to follow state and Federal law. Period. I think what you were trying to find out was if there are any RCMs who have service dogs, and if so, what are some of the accommodations that are needed to  make this work.



Barbra-

-----Original Message-----
From: Legatt, April Mary <[log in to unmask]>
To: MUSEUM-L <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sat, Mar 25, 2017 3:45 pm
Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Service dogs in museums

The ADA and disability laws require accommodation but it does not specify what type of accommodation.  What I am finding is how to work with a dog in storage and conservation areas where the dander may cause problems. I was hoping to go into the conservation route but that seems to be the area of most concern for many employers. (Especially with a psychiatric service dog)

   Thanks 

Sent from my iPhone

On Mar 25, 2017, at 12:47 PM, Legatt, April Mary <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

The ADA and disability laws require accommodation but it does not specify what type of accommodation.  What I am finding is how to work with a dog in storage and conservation areas where the dander may cause problems. I was hoping to go into the conservation route but that seems to be the area of most concern for many employers. (Especially with a psychiatric service dog)

   Thanks 

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