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November 10, 2004    DOL Home > ODEP > Publications > ADA Brochures

Americans with Disabilities Act Focus on Key Provisions

To this nation's more than 43 million citizens with disabilities, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), PL 101-336, is an unprecedented opportunity to eliminate the barriers to independence and productivity. The ADA is modeled after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title V of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

Purpose

The purpose of the ADA is to extend to people with disabilities civil rights similar to those now available on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex and religion through the Civil Rights Act of 1964. It prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in:

  • employment,
  • services rendered by state and local governments,
  • places of public accommodation,
  • transportation,
  • telecommunications services.

Employment

The ADA prohibits discrimination against a qualified individual with a disability in employment and includes specific features related to reasonable accommodation, qualification standards and other labor-management issues.

"No covered entity shall discriminate against a qualified individual with a disability because of the disability of such individual in regard to job application procedures, the hiring, advancement, or discharge of employees, employee compensation, job training, and other terms, conditions, and privileges of employment."

Public Services

The ADA addresses services and activities of State and local governments including actions applicable to public transportation provided by public entities. Transportation provisions of the Act are intended to improve access in equipment (buses, rail coaches), facilities and demand-response systems. Some of these requirements include: the purchase of new accessible public transportation equipment, special transportation services that are comparable to fixed-route services, modification of key existing facilities to assure access, and inter-city and commuter-rail accessibility improvements.

"No qualified individual with a disability shall, by reason of such disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination by a department, agency, special purpose district, or other instrumentality of a State or a local government."

Public Accommodations

The ADA addresses public accommodations and businesses and services operated by private entities. Privately owned transportation is also included. Specific features of the Act vary from section to section laying out how equal access is to be achieved by particular entities.

"No individual shall be discriminated against on the basis of disability in the full and quality enjoyment of the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations of any place of public accommodation."

Telecommunications

The ADA mandates that telecommunications relay services be offered by private companies and includes services operated by States.

"...shall ensure that interstate and intrastate telecommunications relay services are available...to hearing-impaired and speech-impaired individuals in the United States."

Miscellaneous Provisions

Various explanations, exemptions, directives and mandated studies are also detailed in the Act.

ADA's Impact on Employment

  •  
  • ADA prohibits discrimination against workers with disabilities. As of July 1992, it applies to all employers with 25 or more employees, and in July 1994, to all employers with 15 or more.
  • ADA employment provisions apply to private employers, State and local governments, employment agencies, labor organizations, and joint labor-management committees.
  • ADA requires equal opportunity in selection, testing and hiring of qualified applicants with disabilities.
  • ADA requires equal treatment in promotion and benefits.
  • ADA requires reasonable accommodation for workers with disabilities when such accommodations would not impose an "undue hardship." Reasonable accommodation is a concept already familiar to and widely used in today's workplace.

Regulations and Information

  • ADA Regulations for Title I--Employment contact:
    Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
    1801 L Street, NW
    Washington, DC 20507
    800-669-3362- Voice
    800-800-3302- TTY
    Alternative formats are available.
  • Information on making job accommodations contact:
    JAN (Job Accommodation Network)
    800-526-7234--U.S. (Voice/TTY)
  • Regulations for Transportation contact:
    Urban Mass Transportation Administration
    400 7th Street, SW
    Room 9315
    Washington, DC 20590
    202-366-4390 or 1656- Voice
    202-366-4567-TTY
    Alternative formats are available on request.
  • ADA Regulations for Title III--Public Accommodations contact:
    U.S. Department of Justice
    PO Box 66738
    Washington, DC 20035-6738
    202-514-0301- Voice
    202-514-0383- TTY
    Alternative formats are available.
  • ADA Accessibility Guidelines for Buildings and Facilities and those for Transportation Vehicles contact:
    1331 F Street, NW
    Suite 1000
    Washington, DC 20004-1111
    202-272-5434- Voice
    202-272-5449- TTY
    800-872-2253- VoiceTTY
    Alternative formats are available.
  • ADA Regulations for Title IV--Telecommunications contact:
    Federal Communications Commission
    Office of Public Affairs
    1919 M Street, NW
    Room 254
    Washington, DC 20554
    202-632-7000- Voice
    202-632-6999- TTY
  • The Office of Disability Employment Policy has other ADA brochures and publications. Alternative formats are available.

Revised August 1993



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