Handling candidates with service animals

Candidates who have service animals are permitted to bring the animal into any location they may enter, including the test center and testing room. Most government regulations require public businesses to allow people with disabilities to bring their service animal onto business premises in whatever areas customers are allowed. The assistance provided by a service animal is considered a right, so a preauthorized accommodation is not required or appropriate. Candidates are also not required to show proof that they need their service animal, so do not ask for proof.

If you do not know what is considered a service animal or are not able to find a valid definition that is provided by your government's regulations, follow this guideline from the U.S. Department of Justice (www.ada.gov):

A service animal is a dog individually trained to provide assistance to an individual with a disability. These dogs perform some of the functions and tasks that people with a disability cannot perform on their own. For example, the dogs alert people with hearing impairments to sounds, pull wheelchairs, guide people who are blind, pick up things for people with mobility impairments, and assist people that have mobility impairments with balance. A service animal is a working animal and not a pet. Dogs and other animals that only function to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals.

Do not question the candidate about the service animal's purpose, but if the service animal displays one of the following behaviors, you can tell the candidate to remove his or her animal from the test center premises:

  • The animal is out of control, and the candidate cannot control it effectively.

  • The animal urinates or defecates inside the test center.

  • The animal is a direct threat to the health or safety of others in the test center by being vicious towards you or other candidates. This does not include if you or another candidate is allergic to the animal. Also, do not make assumptions about how an animal is likely to behave based on your past experience with other similar animals.

When you tell the candidate to remove the service animal, also offer the candidate the opportunity continue the exam without the animal's presence. If the candidate's exam has already started, inform the candidate that the exam will continue to run if he or she chooses to continue but needs additional time to determine where to place the animal. Put the exam in unscheduled break mode until the candidate is able to resume testing. If the exam sponsor's client reference states that unscheduled breaks are not allowed, call the test center support line to contact a program coordinator.

Managing breaks for service animals

Candidates are allowed to take their service animals outside of the test center building during scheduled or unscheduled breaks. Follow these guidelines when a candidate needs to take his or her service animal outside:

  • An exam sponsor's client reference may state that candidates are not allowed to leave the test center building during breaks. However, always allow candidates to leave the test center building when their service animals need a break.

  • Candidates should take their service animal outside during a scheduled break if possible. Otherwise, put the exam in unscheduled break mode and allow them to leave the building. If the exam sponsor's client reference states that unscheduled breaks are not allowed, call the test center support line to contact a program coordinator.

  • Create a case any time you allow a candidate to go outside because his or her service animal needs a break. When creating the case, select these options:

Accommodation

Problem or complaint with approved testing accommodations

As a reminder, the assistance provided by a service animal is considered a right, so a preauthorized accommodation is not required or appropriate.

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