Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in employment, public accommodations, transportation, state and local government services, and telecommunications. The ADA was signed into law on July 26, 1990, by President George H. W. Bush.

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, has a record of such an impairment, or is perceived by others as having such an impairment. The ADA also defines a public accommodation as any place of public accommodation, including hotels, restaurants, theaters, and stores.

The ADA prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in a variety of ways. For example, it prohibits employers from discriminating against people with disabilities in hiring, firing, promotion, or pay. It also requires public accommodations to make their facilities accessible to people with disabilities.

The ADA has been a landmark law in the fight for disability rights. It has helped to increase the employment of people with disabilities, improve access to public accommodations, and make society more inclusive for people with disabilities.

The ADA is enforced by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) for employment discrimination and the Department of Justice (DOJ) for all other forms of discrimination. If you believe that you have been discriminated against because of your disability, you can file a complaint with the EEOC or the DOJ.

The ADA has been a success in many ways, but there is still more work to be done. For example, the unemployment rate for people with disabilities is still twice as high as the unemployment rate for people without disabilities. And many public accommodations are still not fully accessible to people with disabilities.

The ADA is a work in progress, but it is a law that is making a difference in the lives of people with disabilities. It is a law that is helping to create a more inclusive society for all.