Discuss the ADA laws, who is covered, how can citizens qualify and what do employers need to do to respond to these laws.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-Simply Stated.
The ADA prohibits any type of employment related discrimination on the basis of disability. When the ADA was first implemented on July 26, 1992, only employers with 25 or more employees were bound to its laws and regulations. The law was amended to include compliance of those employers with 15 or more employees effective July 26, 1994. The ADA is administered by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) (Fisher, 192). An "employer" is defined as "a person engaged in an industry affecting commerce who has fifteen or more employees for each working day in each of twenty or more calendar weeks in the current or preceding calendar year, and any agent of such person". The only exceptions to this law are the federal government, a corporation wholly owned by the federal government, Indian tribes, and private membership clubs that meet certain taxation requirements (Peteros, 130). .
Who is Covered? .Persons with a Disability. What is a Disability?.
The ADA protects people with a disability from discrimination in employment. In order for the ADA to cover a disabled person, the person must be qualified for the position in which the are applying/being considered for. Disability is defined as:.
1. a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of an individual,.
2. a record of such impairment, or.
3. being regarded as having such an impairment (Fisher, 194).
Since the inception of ADA, there have been many judicial and congressional rulings that have further defined "physical and mental impairments. Below is a list of examples of ADA protected disabilities.
• Emotional/mental illness.
• Mental retardation.
• Learning disabilities.
• AIDS and HIV-positive .