Below are links to helpful information about the American with Disabilities Act.

Search:

To find your areas of interest on either my website or blog, use search buttons below:

A Guide to Disability Rights Laws (U.S. Dept. of Justice - Sept. 2005)
This guide provides an overview of Federal civil rights laws that ensure equal opportunity for people with disabilities.

ACLU Joins Civil Rights Organizations for Disability Rights Briefing - (ACLU - Jan. 8, 2008)
The American Civil Liberties Union participated in a briefing in conjunction with the Leadership Conference for Civil Rights, to discuss the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Restoration Act of 2007.

ADA Act of 1990 - (U.S. Code)
Current text of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended.

ADA Changes Better Late Than Never (Employee Rights Post - 11/9/09)
The ADA was intended to protect individuals with disabilities from discrimination. Because of the way in which the Act was written, combined with the way in which it has been interpreted by an exceedingly conservative federal judiciary, most cases got thrown out on summary judgment because the courts determined that the individual plaintiff employee was not disabled.

ADA Checklist for New Lodging Facilities - (U.S. Dept. of Justice)
A self-help survey that owners, franchisors, and managers of lodging facilities can use to identify ADA mistakes at their facilities.

ADA Information for Law Enforcement (U.S. Dept. of Justice)
Materials to help law enforcement officers understand how to interact with victims, witnesses, suspects, and others who have disabilities.

ADA Q&A...Back to School (Pacer Center)
While it is true that the ADA does apply to schools, both public and private, it is important to remember that the ADA is foremost a civil rights act with a broad application.

Administrative Handbook Bulletin: Equal Opportunity (bulletin issuing new policy from DHS)
Thanks to the advocacy of a number of organizations representing persons with disabilities and low income folks, DHS has issued a policy on "Nondiscrimination in Service Delivery". Although it is not perfect, by any means, the policy is a HUGE step forward. The publication that DHS has issued to inform clients about their rights under the ADA is not written in plain language and contains some misinformation (e.g. says you must use their form to file a complaint). See Equal Access to Programs.

Another Story Illustrating Why We Need the ADA - (Growing Up With a Disability Blog - Jan. 24, 2008)
A blog entry from a college student with cerebral palsy who believes society often underestimates the complexity of living with a disability - the joys, the challenges, the ordinary, and the extraordinary.

Briefs Filed in Three States to Enforce Supreme Court's Olmstead Decision (US Dept. of Justice - 12/2/09)
Last week proved to be a landmark for federal enforcement of the Supreme Court decision in Olmstead v. L.C., a ruling requiring States to eliminate unnecessary segregation of persons with disabilities and to move persons who can function in the community out of segregated facilities.

Commonly Asked Questions About Service Animals in Places of Business (US Dept. of Justice)
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, privately owned businesses that serve the public are prohibited from discriminating against individuals with disabilities. The ADA requires these businesses to allow service animals onto business premises in whatever areas customers are generally allowed.

Comparison of the ADA and the ADA Amendments Act - (Georgetown U)

Disabled Access (BBC - 10/2/08)
How effective is government legislation to make shops, bars and restaurants accessible to disabled people?

Doing Good Work? You're Fired! - (Reunify Gally - Oct. 28, 2007)
A story about a man who got fired because his disability did not interfere with his ability to perform the job for which he was hired.

EEOC Enforcement Guidance on the Americans with Disabilities Act and Psychiatric Disabilities (EEOC)
Addendum following a Supreme Court's ruling on determining whether a person has an ADA disability.

EEOC Issues Proposed Regulations Under the Americans With Disabilties Act
Public comment invited by November 23, 2009.

EEOC Regulations May Spur More ADA Suits (Wisconsin Law Journal - 10/12/09)
According to plaintiffs’ lawyers, proposed new regulations from the EEOC broadening the definition of “disability” mean that more ADA cases might get before a jury.

Eve Hill appointed first director of "Disability Rights" (The Washington Continent - Sept. 13, 2007)
Mayor Adrian M. Fenty nominated Eve Hill, nationally known expert on disability rights law, as director of the Office of Disability Rights, a cabinet-level position.

Expansion of American Disability Law Now Looks Likely (Kiplinger Business Resource Center - Jan. 24, 2008)
Employers should brace for an expansion of the Americans with Disabilities Act. A bipartisan group of lawmakers is pushing a bill that would broaden the reach of the ADA.

Q&A from the EEOC about discrimination against an employee for "associating" with a person with a disability:
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability. Title I of the ADA makes it unlawful for any employer with 15 or more employees (including a state or local government employer) to discriminate against a qualified applicant or employee because of a disability in any aspect of employment. In addition to protecting qualified applicants and employees with disabilities from employment discrimination, one ADA provision – the "association" provision -- protects applicants and employees from discrimination based on their relationship or association with an individual with a disability, whether or not the applicant or employee has a disability. Click here for entire discussion.

Restoring the Americans with Disabilities Act (DREDF eNews - Oct. 2007)
Info from the Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund on legislation that will restore important civil rights for people with disabilities.

Sample Letter to Senators on ADA Restoration Act (Reunify Gally - Nov. 21, 2007)
How to let your Senator know how important this piece of legislation is.

Senate Hearing on the ADA Restoration Act (Reunify Gally - Nov. 21, 2007)
Info on a recent Senate hearing.

Service or Companion Animals for Disabled Tenants
If you’re a landlord, you are required to make “reasonable exceptions” to ensure disabled folks are not discriminated against. For example, even with a “no pets” policy, you may be required to make an exception to accommodate a service or companion animal.

Supreme Court to Decide Question Re Disabled Employee Reassignment (CA Labor & Employment Law Blog - Dec. 23, 2007)
The Court will attempt to harmonize differing appellate court rulings by deciding whether the ADA requires an employer to give a disabled employee a preference in job reassignments.

Tax Benefits for Businesses Accommodating Persons with Disabilities (IRS - Oct. 31, 2007)
Reminder from IRSA that there are tax benefits in the form of credits and deductions for businesses that accommodate individuals with disabilities.

Understanding the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act and Section 504 (LD.org)
This Parent Advocacy Brief will help you understand the changes brought about by the ADAAA, how they apply to Section 504, and how these changes may impact children with disabilities, including learning disabilities, as well as other conditions such as Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD), Aspergers Syndrome, diabetes, asthma, and life-threatening food allergies.

United Spinal Assn. Urges Congress to Restore Americans with Disabilities Act (Oct. 2007)
On Oct. 4, 2007, Congress held the first hearing on a bill to restore the employment protections of the Americans With Disabilities Act.

Using the Olmstead Decision as an Advocacy Tool for Your Clients (5/20/02)
This landmark 1999 Supreme Court decision, built upon the promises made in the Americans with Disabilities Act almost a decade earlier, held that "unjustified isolation" of individuals with disabilities "is properly regarded as discrimination based on disability, as it perpetuates negative stereotypes and severely restricts and infringes upon the everyday life activities of individuals with disabilities."

What is the ADA?
An explanation with info on the structure and historical context of the American with Disabilities Act.

Women Face Workplace Weight Discrimination (MSU Today - Oct. 26, 2007)
Women are 16 times more likely than men to report weight discrimination in the workplace, according to a MSU-led study that provides the most dramatic evidence yet of the weight bias working women face.

ADA Home Page - (U.S. Department of Justice website)
Information and Technical Assistance on the Americans With Disabilities Act.

ADA Watch.org - (National Coalition for Disability Rights)
Advancing the civil rights of people with disabilities.

Disability Network
Their mission is to realize consumer empowerment, self determination, full-inclusion, and participation of all people in our community through the independent living philosophy and unequivocal implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Federal Transit Administration
If you have any questions or concerns regarding public transportation for persons with disabilities, please contact the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Office of Civil Rights on our toll-free Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Assistance Line at 1-888-446-4511 [Voice] or by e-mail at FTA.ADAAssistance@dot.gov.

Steve Gold's Treasured Nuggets of Information
A Pennsylvania attorney with tools and articles on how to enforce the Americans with Disabilities Act and searchable archives on other related subjects.

Archive ADA: The Path to Equality (Georgetown University)
This site serves as a comprehensive, online archive of documents and history related to the ADA and the ADA Amendments Act of 2008.