[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 29, Volume 1]
[Revised as of July 1, 2001]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 29CFR32.27]

[Page 325-326]
 
                             TITLE 29--LABOR
 
PART 32--NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF HANDICAP IN PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES RECEIVING OR BENEFITING FROM FEDERAL FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE--Table of Contents
 
                    Subpart C--Program Accessibility
 
Sec. 32.27  Access to programs.

    (a) Purpose. A recipient shall operate each program or activity to 
which this part applies so that the program or activity, when viewed in 
its entirety, is readily accessible to qualified handicapped 
individuals. This paragraph does not require a recipient to make each of 
its existing facilities or every part of a facility accessible to and 
usable by qualified handicapped individuals. However, if a particular 
program is available in only one location, that site must be made 
accessible or the program must be made available at an alternative 
accessible site or sites. Program accessibility requires nonpersonal 
aids to make the program accessible to mobility impaired persons. 
Reasonable accommodations, as defined in Sec. 32.3, are required for 
particular handicapped individuals in response to the specific 
limitations of their handicaps.
    (b) Scope and application. (1) For the purpose of this subpart, 
prime sponsors under the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act and 
any other individual or organization which receives a grant directly 
from the Department to establish or operate any program or activity 
shall assure that the program or activity, including Public Service 
Employment, Work Experience, Classroom Training and On-the-Job-Training, 
when viewed in its entirety, is readily accessible to qualified 
handicapped individuals.
    (2) Job Corps. All agencies, grantees, or contractors which screen 
or recruit applicants for the Job Corps shall comply with the 
nondiscrimination provisions of this part. Each regional office of the 
Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration which makes 
the decision on the assignment of a Job Corps applicant to a particular 
center may, where it finds, after consultation with the qualified 
handicapped person seeking Job Corps services, that there is no method 
of complying with Sec. 32.27(a) at a particular Job Corps Center, other 
than by making a significant alteration in its existing facilities or in 
its training programs, assign that individual to another Job Corps 
Center which is accessible in accordance with this section and which is 
offering comparable training. The Job Corps, and each regional office of 
the Employment and Training Administration, shall assure that the Job 
Corps Program, when viewed in its entirety, is readily accessible to 
qualified handicapped individuals and that all future construction, 
including improvements to existing Centers, be made accessible to the 
handicapped.
    (3) If a small recipient finds, after consultation with a qualified 
handicapped person seeking its services, that there is no method of 
complying with Sec. 32.27(a) other than making a significant alteration 
in its existing facilities or facility the recipient may, as an 
alternative, refer the qualified handicapped person to other providers 
of those services that are accessible.
    (c) Methods. A recipient may comply with the requirement of 
Sec. 32.27(a)

[[Page 326]]

through such means as redesign of equipment, reassignment of classes or 
other services to accessible buildings, assignment of aides to 
beneficiaries, home visits, delivery of services at alternate accessible 
sites, alteration of existing facilities and construction of new 
facilities in conformance with the requirements of Sec. 32.28, or any 
other method that results in making its program or activity accessible 
to handicapped individuals. A recipient is not required to make 
structural changes in existing facilities where other methods are 
effective in achieving compliance with Sec. 32.27(a). In choosing among 
available methods for meeting the requirement of Sec. 32.27(a), a 
recipient shall give priority to those methods that offer programs and 
activities to handicapped persons in the most integrated setting 
appropriate.
    (d) Time period. A recipient shall comply with the requirements of 
Sec. 32.27(a) within 60 days of the effective date of this part except 
that where structural changes in facilities are necessary, such changes 
shall be made within three years of the effective date of this part, but 
in any even as expeditiously as possible.
    (e) Transition plan. In the event that structural changes to 
facilities are necessary to meet the requirement of Sec. 32.27(a), a 
recipient shall develop, within six months of the effective date of this 
part, a transition plan setting forth the steps necessary to complete 
such changes. The plan shall be developed with the assistance of 
interested persons, including qualified handicapped individuals. A copy 
of the transition plan shall be made available for public inspection. 
The plan shall, at a minimum:
    (1) Identify physical obstacles in the recipient's facilities that 
limit the accessibility of its program or activity to qualified 
handicapped individuals;
    (2) Describe in detail the methods that will be used to make the 
facilities accessible;
    (3) Specify the schedule for taking the steps necessary to achieve 
full program accessibility and, if the time period of the transition 
plan is longer than one year, identify steps that will be taken during 
each year of the transition period; and
    (4) Indicate the person responsible for implementation of the plan.
    (f) Notice. The recipient shall adopt and implement procedures to 
ensure that interested persons, including persons with impaired vision 
or hearing, can obtain information as to the existence and location of 
services, activities, and facilities that are accessible to and usable 
by qualified handicapped individuals.