Disclaimer; This is a brief overview which cannot possibly set forth
everything about the ADA and which, for purposes of brevity or as part of an effort to
state legal concepts simply and in plain English, may describe the law in a manner which
is not necessarily precise and/or accurate in every respect.
Signed into law on July 26 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act is a wide-ranging
legislation intended to make American Society more accessible to people with disabilities.
It is divided into five titles:
- Employment (Title I) Business must provide reasonable accommodations to protect the
rights of individuals with disabilities in all aspects of employment. Possible changes may
include restructuring jobs, altering the layout of workstations, or modifying equipment.
Employment aspects may include the application process, hiring, wages, benefits, and all
other aspects of employment. Medical examinations are highly regulated.
- Public Services (Title II) Public services, which include state and local government
instrumentalities, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, and other commuter
authorities, cannot deny services to people with disabilities participation in programs or
activities which are available to people without disabilities. In addition, public
transportation systems, such as public transit buses, must be accessible to individuals
with disabilities.
- Public Accommodations (Title III) All new construction and modifications must be
accessible to individuals with disabilities. For existing facilities, barriers to services
must be removed if readily achievable. Public accommodations include facilities such as
restaurants, hotels, grocery stores, retail stores, etc., as well as privately owned
transportation systems.
- Telecommunications (Title IV) Telecommunications companies offering telephone service to
the general public must have telephone relay service to individuals who use
telecommunication devices for the deaf (TTYs) or similar devices.
- Miscellaneous (Title V) Includes a provision prohibiting either (a) coercing or
threatening or (b) retaliating against the disabled or those attempting to aid people with
disabilities in asserting their rights under the ADA.
The ADA's protection applies primarily, but not exclusively, to "disabled"
individuals. An individual is "disabled" if he or she meets at least any one of
the following tests:
- He or she has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of
his/her major life activities;
- He or she has a record of such an impairment
- He or she is regarded as having such an impairment.
Other individuals who are protected in certain circumstances include 1) those, such as
parents, who have an association with an individual known to have a disability, and 2)
those who are coerced or subjected to retaliation for assisting people with disabilities
in asserting their rights under the ADA.
While the employment provisions of the ADA apply to employers of fifteen employees or
more, its public accommodations provisions apply to all sizes of business, regardless of
number of employees. State and local governments are covered regardless of size.