Accessibility - Hawai‘i State Energy Office

Notice Under the Americans with Disabilities Act

In accordance with the requirements of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (“ADA”), the Hawai‘i State Energy Office (HSEO) will not discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities on the basis of disability in its programs, services, or activities.

Employment: HSEO does not discriminate on the basis of disability in its hiring or employment practices and complies with all regulations promulgated by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission under Title I of the ADA.

Effective Communication: HSEO will generally, upon request, provide appropriate aids and services leading to effective communication for qualified persons with disabilities so they can participate equally in HSEO’s programs, services, and activities, including qualified sign language interpreters, documents in Braille, and other ways of making information and communications accessible to people who have speech, hearing, or vision disabilities.

Modifications to Policies and Procedures: HSEO will make all reasonable modifications to policies and programs to ensure that people with disabilities have an equal opportunity to enjoy all of its programs, services, and activities. For example, individuals with service animals are welcomed in HSEO offices, even where pets are generally prohibited.

Anyone who requires an auxiliary aid or service for effective communication, or a modification of policies or procedures to participate in a program, service, or activity of HSEO, should contact Kathy Yim by email at [email protected]. Requests made as early as possible have a greater likelihood of being fulfilled.

The ADA does not require HSEO to take any action that would fundamentally alter the nature of its programs or services or impose an undue financial or administrative burden.

HSEO will not place a surcharge on a particular individual with a disability or any group of individuals with disabilities to cover the cost of providing auxiliary aids/services or reasonable modifications of policy, such as retrieving items from locations that are open to the public but are not accessible to persons who use wheelchairs.

Website Accessibility Statement

HSEO is committed to ensuring digital accessibility for all users, including individuals with disabilities. We are continually working to improve the accessibility and usability of our website to provide an inclusive experience for all visitors.

Our efforts align with the Hawaiʻi Electronic Information Technology Disability Access Standards established under Act 172, SLH 2022, c 172. §3, the requirements set forth by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title II, and the accessibility standards outlined in Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. In accordance with the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) final rule on web accessibility, we strive to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA standards.

Third-Party Content and External Links

Some pages on this website may contain third-party content or links to external sites that are not fully controlled by HSEO. While we strive to ensure accessibility, we cannot guarantee compliance for these external resources.

Feedback and Assistance

If you encounter accessibility barriers while using our website or require assistance accessing content, please contact us:

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 808-587-3807

To help us address your concerns, please include:

The specific URL (web address) of the page where you encountered the issue.
A brief description of the problem; and
Your contact information and the preferred format for receiving the information (e.g., large print, audio, or electronic format).

HSEO remains dedicated to improving digital accessibility and appreciates your feedback as we continue to enhance the online experience for all users

Reasonable Accommodations

If you require a reasonable accommodation to access information in an alternative format, please contact us. We will make every effort to provide the requested materials in a timely manner and ensure equal access to our digital resources.

Telecommunications Relay Service

Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech disabilities can contact us using the Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) by dialing 711. TRS allows users to communicate through a relay operator who facilitates the conversation. For more information on TRS, visit the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) website at www.fcc.gov/TRS.

Organizational Policies and Procedures on Digital Accessibilities

Hawaiʻi Electronic Information Technology Disability Access Standards

Grievance Procedure Under the Americans with Disabilities Act

This Grievance Procedure is established to meet the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (“ADA”). It may be used by anyone who wishes to file a complaint alleging discrimination on the basis of disability in the provision of programs, services, activities, or benefits by HSEO. The State’s Personnel Policy governs employment-related complaints of disability discrimination.

The complaint should be in writing and contain information about the alleged discrimination such as name, address, phone number of complainant and location, date, and description of the problem. Alternative means of filing complaints, such as personal interviews or a tape recording of the complaint, will be made available for persons with disabilities upon request.

The complaint should be submitted by the grievant and/or his/her designee as soon as possible but no later than 60 calendar days after the alleged violation to Kathy Yim by email at [email protected].

Within 15 calendar days after receipt of the complaint, Kathy Yim or designee will meet with the complainant to discuss the complaint and the possible resolutions. Within 15 calendar days of the meeting, Kathy Yim or designee will respond in writing, and where appropriate, in a format accessible to the complainant, such as large print, Braille, or audio tape. The response will explain the position of HSEO and offer options for substantive resolution of the complaint.

If the response by Kathy Yim or designee does not satisfactorily resolve the issue, the complainant and/or his/her designee may appeal the

decision within 15 calendar days after receipt of the response to Kathy Yim or designee.

Within 15 calendar days after receipt of the appeal, Kathy Yim or designee will meet with the complainant to discuss the complaint and possible resolutions. Within 15 calendar days after the meeting, Kathy Yim or designee will respond in writing, and, where appropriate, in a format accessible to the complainant, with a final resolution of the complaint.

All written complaints received by Kathy Yim or designee, appeals to Kathy Yim or designee, and the responses will be retained by HSEO for at least three years.