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Updates
On September 25, 2008, the President signed the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 ("ADA Amendments Act" or "Act"). The Act makes important changes to the definition of the term "disability" by rejecting the holdings in several Supreme Court decisions and portions of EEOC's ADA regulations.
ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA) of 2008
- Accommodation and Compliance Series: The ADA Amendments Act of 2008 - JAN
- Notice Concerning The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) Amendments Act of 2008 - EEOC
- Final Regulations Implementing the ADAAA - EEOC
- Questions and Answers on the Final Rule Implementing the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 - EEOC
- Questions and Answers for Small Businesses: The Final Rule Implementing the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 - EEOC
- Fact Sheet on the EEOC's Final Regulations Implementing the ADAAA - EEOC
- ADAAA Public Law
General
The ADA was signed into law on July 26, 1990, and is a wide-ranging law intended to make American Society more accessible to people with disabilities. It is divided into five titles. The following publications provide information about all titles:
- The Americans with Disabilities Act: A Brief Overview
- Facts About the Americans with Disabilities Act
- EEOC Appellate and Amicus Briefs
- ADA "Sample" Policies
- DOJ ADA Video Gallery
- Questions and Answers: The Americans with Disabilities Act and Persons with HIV/AIDS
- Accessible Meetings, Events & Conferences Guide | ADA
Employment (Title I)
Businesses must provide reasonable accommodations to protect the rights of individuals with disabilities in all aspects of employment. Possible changes may include restructuring jobs, altering the layout of workstations, or modifying equipment. Employment aspects may include the application process, hiring, wages, benefits, and all other aspects of employment. Medical examinations are highly regulated.
- Title I Technical Assistance Manual
- The Americans with Disabilities Act, Titles I and V
- Title I Regulations: Employment
- Title 29--Labor, Chapter XIV-EEOC, Part 1630--Regulations to implement ADA employment provisions
- EEOC Guidances, Fact Sheets, Reports, and Advisory Letters
- JAN's Employers' Practical Guide to Reasonable Accommodation Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- ADA Mediation: EEOC
- Contacting EEOC: Find Your Field Office
- EEOC: Filing A Charge
- The ADA: Your Responsibilities as an Employer
- The ADA: Your Employment Rights as an Individual with a Disability
- The Garrett Decision
- JAN's Employment Agencies and Title I of the ADA
Public Services (Title II)
Public services, which include state and local government instrumentalities, the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, and other commuter authorities, cannot deny services to people with disabilities or deny participation in programs or activities that are available to people without disabilities. In addition, public transportation systems, such as public transit buses, must be accessible to individuals with disabilities.
- Title II Technical Assistance Manual
- Title II Technical Assistance Manual, 1994 Supplement
- Title II Regulations: Public Services
- Commonly Asked Questions About Title II of the ADA
- ADA 2010 Revised Requirements: Effective Date, Compliance Date
- ADA Update: A Primer for Small Business
- ADA Update: A Primer for State and Local Governments
- ADA Title II Action Guide for State and Local Governments
- Title II Complaint Form
- ADA Mediation: DOJ
- 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design
Other Title II (ADA) Publications
- ADA Best Practices Tool Kit for State and Local Governments
- ADA Checklist for Polling Places
- ADA Guide for Small Towns
- ADA/Section 504 Design Guide: Accessible Cells in Correction Facilities
- ADA and City Governments: Common Problems
- ADA Guide for Local Governments: Making Community Emergency Preparedness and Response Programs Accessible to People with Disabilities
- Access for 9-1-1 and Telephone Emergency Services
- Accessibility of State and Local Government Websites to People with Disabilities
- Accessible Pools: Means of Entry and Exit
- Accessibility Requirements for Existing Pools at Hotels and Other Public Accommodations
- Accessible Stadiums
- Communicating with People Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: ADA Guide for Law Enforcement Officers
- Frequently Asked Questions on Effective Communication for Students with Hearing, Vision, or Speech Disabilities in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools
- Model Policy for Law Enforcement on Communicating with People Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing
- ADA Guide for Law Enforcement
- Commonly Asked Questions About the ADA and Law Enforcement
- Questions and Answers: The ADA and Hiring Police Officers
- Commonly Asked Questions About Child Care Centers and the Americans with Disabilities Act
- Questions and Answers: The ADA and Persons with HIV/AIDS
- Testing Accommodations
- Effective Communication
Public Accommodations (Title III)
All new construction and modifications must be accessible to individuals with disabilities. For existing facilities, barriers to services must be removed if readily achievable. Public accommodations include facilities such as restaurants, hotels, grocery stores, retail stores, etc., as well as privately owned transportation systems.
- Title III Regulations: Public Accommodations and Services Operated by Private Entities
- Title III Technical Assistance Manual (1993) and Supplement (1994)
- 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design
- Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS)
- ADA Accessibility Guideline Checklist
- Checklist for Buildings and Facilities
- Americans with Disabilities Act Checklist for Readily Achievable Barrier Removal
- How to File a Title III Complaint
- ADA Mediation: DOJ
Other Title III (ADA) Publications
- Access to Medical Care for Individuals with Mobility Disabilities
- Accessible Stadiums
- ADA Guide for Small Businesses
- Communicating with People Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing in Hospital Settings
- Communicating with Guests Who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing in Hotels, Motels, and Other Places of Transient Lodging
- ADA Compliance Brief: Restriping Parking Spaces
- Service Animals: DOJ Business Brief
- Frequently Asked Questions About Service Animals
- Ten Small Business Mistakes Video
- Commonly Asked Questions About Service Animals
- Commonly Asked Questions About Child Care Centers and the Americans with Disabilities Act
- Questions and Answers: the ADA and Persons with HIV/AIDS
- Assistance at Self-Serve Gas Stations
- Five Steps To Make New Lodging Facilities Comply With The ADA
- Americans with Disabilities Act Checklist for New Lodging Facilities
- Americans with Disabilities Act Guide for Places of Lodging: Serving Guests Who Are Blind or Who Have Low Vision
- Accessible Pools: Means of Entry and Exit
- Questions & Answers: Accessibility Requirements for Existing Pools at Hotels and Other Public Accommodations
- Chapter of Accessibility Guidelines for Recreation Facilities
- Testing Accommodations
- Effective Communication
Telecommunications (Title IV)
Telecommunications companies offering telephone service to the general public must have telephone relay service to individuals who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TTYs) or similar devices.
Miscellaneous (Title V)
Includes a provision prohibiting either (a) coercing or threatening or (b) retaliating against the disabled or those attempting to aid people with disabilities in asserting their rights under the ADA.