What is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a landmark federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public. The purpose of the law is to make sure that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else.
The ADA defines a person with a disability as someone who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.
Title I: Employment
Title I of the ADA prohibits private employers with 15 or more employees, as well as state and local governments, from discriminating against qualified individuals with disabilities in all aspects of employment. This includes hiring, firing, advancement, compensation, and training.
A key protection under Title I is the right to a "reasonable accommodation." A reasonable accommodation is any change in the work environment or in the way things are customarily done that enables an individual with a disability to enjoy equal employment opportunities. Examples include:
- Making existing facilities accessible (e.g., installing a ramp).
- Modifying work schedules.
- Providing qualified readers or interpreters.
- Acquiring or modifying equipment (e.g., an ergonomic keyboard or screen reading software).
An employer is required to provide a reasonable accommodation unless doing so would cause an "undue hardship," meaning significant difficulty or expense.
Title III: Public Accommodations
Title III prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in places of public accommodation. These are businesses that are generally open to the public, such as restaurants, movie theaters, schools, day care facilities, recreation facilities, and doctors' offices.
This part of the law requires that:
- All new construction and modifications must be accessible to individuals with disabilities.
- Architectural barriers in existing facilities must be removed if it is "readily achievable" (easily accomplishable without much difficulty or expense).
- Reasonable modifications must be made to policies, practices, and procedures to permit people with disabilities to participate.
- Auxiliary aids and services must be provided to ensure effective communication, unless it would cause an undue burden.
What to Do If You Believe Your Rights Have Been Violated
If you believe you have been discriminated against on the basis of your disability, you can file a complaint. For employment discrimination, you would file a charge with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). For discrimination in public accommodations, you would file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice.