Accessibility Services
Consulting and representation of severely disabled persons
The Representative Council for Severely Disabled Persons (SBV) at Bielefeld University is the first point of contact for employees and trainees with disabilities, chronic-somatic or -psychological illnesses. It consists of the representative of the severely disabled persons and at least one deputy.
Tasks of the Representative Body for Severely Disabled Persons
In principle, the SBC ensures that the laws, regulations and obligations of the employer that apply to people with disabilities are fulfilled. For example, the representative body for severely disabled persons must be fully informed in all matters affecting an individual or the (severely) disabled persons as a group and must be heard before a decision is made by the employer. The decision taken must be communicated to the representative body for severely disabled persons without delay.
In addition, the SBV advocates for the individual interests of employees and trainees with disabilities, chronic or mental illnesses, as well as for employed staff, people who are threatened by a disability due to the consequences of an accident or illness. Its tasks include in particular
- independent and confidential advice on problems at work or in training due to disability or illness
- Support in the event of problems at the place of work or training
- Receipt of suggestions and complaints
- Support with applications to the responsible pension office regarding a determination of disability or aggravation of the already determined disability
- Support in appeal procedures after filing an application
- Support with applications for equal treatment at the responsible Federal Employment Agency of Germany
- Application for and implementation of barrier-free workplace equipment
- Cooperation in the implementation of Accessibility in construction measures on campus
- Supporting application and appointment procedures for all status groups
- Cooperation with internal and external counseling centers, the Staff Councils, the integration offices and the integration specialist service
Confidentiality of the Representative for Severely Disabled Persons
Pursuant to Section 179 (7) sentence 1 of the German Social Code IX (SGB IX ), the representative for the severely disabled is subject to a special duty of confidentiality, which continues to apply even after the representative for the severely disabled has left office.
All representatives and their deputies are obligated to maintain confidentiality about the personal circumstances and affairs of the employees, e.g. regarding the health condition, the family, social and financial situation, job-related challenges of the person concerned, etc. The representatives and their deputies are also obligated to maintain confidentiality about the personal circumstances and affairs of the employees.
Likewise, they may neither disclose nor exploit trade secrets of the employer.
Exceptions to the obligation to maintain confidentiality only apply if it is necessary to support the person concerned and the person concerned has agreed to this or, if objectively necessary, in cooperation with the Staff Councils and service providers such as the Federal Employment Agency of Germany, the integration offices and rehabilitation agencies.