The Americans with Disabilities Act is a civil rights law prohibiting discrimination against individuals with physical and mental impairments. It protects citizens in all aspects of public life, including employment.
If you have a disability, understanding your rights under the ADA is necessary to ensure you receive proper workplace consideration.
Fair employment practices
The ADA requires employers to provide equal job opportunities to qualified candidates with disabilities. As such, human resources departments cannot discriminate in application procedures, hiring, advancement, termination, compensation or training. They must judge you on your ability to perform the job and not on any condition beyond your control.
Reasonable accommodations
Employers must provide reasonable accommodations to employees with disabilities unless doing so would cause undue hardship to the business. This includes any changes to the working environment or operating procedures that enable you to fulfill employment. Examples include modifying schedules, making facilities physically accessible and providing specialized equipment.
Confidentiality
The ADA protects medical records from prying eyes. Employers can ask for information concerning your ability to complete the job or what assistance you may need, but they must keep these discussions private. They cannot share such issues with coworkers or use this knowledge in a discriminatory way.
Freedom from retaliation
You may also assert your rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act without fear of retribution. This includes filing a complaint or participating in an investigation regarding ADA violations. Employers cannot punish you for asserting your rights, and any form of payback is against the law.
The ADA exists to secure equitable on-the-job treatment for everyone. If your place of employment fails to uphold these mandates, file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
