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 |