Employment and Individuals with Disabilities: A Guide for Businesses

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

General Information

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
• Telecommunication services
• Miscellaneous Provisions

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.

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.

Places of Public Accommodations/Transportation

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.

Telecommunications

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

Miscellaneous Provisions

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