Learn About the Americans with Disabilities Act

Americans with Disabilities Act or ADA was formulated in the year 1990. This law falls under the category of civil rights in United States and prohibits the discrimination of individuals with physical or mental handicaps. It was primarily created to ensure employment opportunities for them. Under this law almost 50 million workers are covered in the country. This law has been amended from time to time by the US government.

In most countries of the world, there was an increasing effort to assimilate the physically challenged individuals into the mainstream. This was possible only when there would be no barriers that prevent them from participating in various activities. This meant creating the means that would help them gain access to various public and private properties in the form of automatic doors, lifts and wheelchair ramps.

Many physically challenged Americans wanted the society to eradicate all hurdles that limited them from engaging more in public life. They demanded total access to public and private establishments through ramps, wheel chairs and other reformations. This gave rise to a disability-rights movement. As a result several federal laws were which included the Disabilities Education Act of 1975 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The Americans with Disabilities Act expanded these statutes and was adopted by the Congress in 1990. The Act is divided into five Titles that cover areas like public accommodations, employment, miscellaneous provisions, public entities and telecommunications.

Areas Covered by American with Disabilities Act

According to the Supreme Court people affected with HIV virus are covered under the definition of the act whereas individual with disabilities like nearsightedness, that can be corrected, are not covered under the act. Based on the records of the Census Bureau of United States more than 51 million which form 18% of the population are somehow disabled. Hence the act has reformed millions of lives. The law’s equal right requirements have been taken care off by the country’s municipalities. Most importantly the disabled continue to achieve more results in the workplace and are being appreciated.

Instances of American with Disabilities Act

There have been a few notable incidents about the ADA. For instance the websites of two popular hotel marketers were sued because its clients with disabilities failed to make reservation through the site as it was not designed for them. Even the websites of retailer giants like Target Corp. was sued since the web designer failed to design a website for blind individuals using the site. In March 1999 the City of Sacramento failed to abide by ADA when it failed to bring in its sidewalks into conformity with ADA while making public street enhancements. It was taken to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and was declared that sidewalks were a key point mentioned in the Act and must be made appropriate for use to individuals with disabilities. These instances highlight the extent to which the country abides by the Act. In the year 2007 the Law School Admission Council started granting requests for accommodation as per the law.

You can read more on Americans with Disabilities Act by clicking on the following URL: http://www.america.gov/st/washfile english/2006/June/20060605165205jmnamdeirf0.1433832.html#ixzz0dYaSKfoq