Introduction

Employment

OCM 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

OCM will generally, upon request, provide appropriate aids and services leading to effective communication for qualified persons with disabilities so they can participate equally in OCM’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 impairments.

Modifications to policies and procedures

OCM 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 OCM 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 OCM should contact Kara Shand, ADA Coordinator, at kara.shand@state.mn.us or 651-539-5844 (or call using your preferred Telecommunications Relay Provider) as soon as possible but no later than 48 hours before the scheduled event. 

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

Complaints that a program, service, or activity of OCM is not accessible to persons with disabilities should be directed to Kara Shand, ADA Coordinator, at the contact information previously provided. OCM 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.

Grievance Procedure Under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act

This grievance procedure is established to meet the requirements of Title II 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 services, activities, programs, or benefits by the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM). The Statewide ADA Reasonable Accommodation 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 their designee as soon as possible but no later than 60 calendar days after the alleged violation to: 

Kara Shand
Agency ADA Coordinator
355 Randolph Ave, Suite 100 St. Paul, MN 55102 

Within 15 calendar days after receipt of the complaint, Shand or her designee will meet or communicate with the complainant to discuss the complaint and the possible resolutions. Within 15 calendar days of the meeting or communication, Shand or her designee will respond in writing, and where appropriate, in a format accessible to the complainant. The response will explain the position of OCM and offer options for substantive resolution of the complaint. 

If the response by Shand or her designee does not satisfactorily resolve the issue, the complainant and/or their designee may appeal the decision within 15 calendar days after receipt of the response to Eric Taubel, Interim Director of the Office of Cannabis Management, or his designee. 

Within 15 calendar days after receipt of the appeal, Taubel or his designee will meet with the complainant to discuss the complaint and possible resolutions. Within 15 calendar days after the meeting, Taubel or his 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 Kara Shand or her designee, appeals to Eric Taubel or his designee, and responses from these two offices will be retained by OCM for at least three years.