News & Events

  • Free Webinar - Celebrating the 35th Anniversary of the ADA, Looking Back and Looking Ahead

    Wednesday, July 23, 2025, 1-2 p.m. ET

    Presenters: Joe Zesski, Program Manager Northeast ADA Center

    The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a landmark civil rights law that was passed in 1990. It works to ensure equal access and equal opportunity for people with disabilities in the community. This webinar will explore what the ADA is, how it came to be, its impact over the last 35 years, and how it continues to protect the rights of people with disabilities today.

    Register for the the ADA Annivesary webinar

  • Northeast ADA Center Closed July 4

    The Northeast ADA Center and technical assistance services will be closed on July 4. The center will open again on July 7. Please note that our normal hours of operation are Monday through Friday 8:30am to 4:30pm.

  • Save the Date! NYC ADA Anniversary Celebration

    When: Wednesday, July 16, 2025, 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

    Where: Empire State Plaza, Near the Egg

    Come celebrate the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), listen to music by Flame and enjoy food trucks, craft vendors, and more!

    Hosted by New York State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities

    For more details, visit: NYS Office for People with Developmental Disabilities

  • June 27 is PTSD Awareness Day

    PTSD, or Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, is mental health condition that can occur after traumatic, stressful events. People with PTSD can experience symptoms that greatly impact their day-to-day lives. The month of June and June 27 in particular is a time to increase awareness of the causes and symptoms of PTSD, dispel myths, and advocate for support and further research.

    To learn more, visit: Veteran.com

    To learn more about PTSD and the ADA, visit ADATA.org.

  • June 16-20 - Northeast ADA Center Technical Assistance Operating with Limited Staffing

    The Northeast ADA Center technical assistance services will be operating with limited staffing from Monday, June 16, and Friday, June 20, 2025. We appreciate your patience as our response may be delayed during these times. We encourage you to explore the resources available on the Northeast ADA Center website.

  • Free Webinar - What is a Disability?

    Tuesday, June 10, 2025, 1-2 p.m. ET

    Presenters: Joe Zesski, Program Manager Northeast ADA Center

    Understanding what disability means under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) can be tricky. People often have their own preconceptions of what disability means or may assume a definition for disability from laws other than the ADA. This webinar explores the definition of disability under the ADA, its interpretation, and where it applies under the law. It also discusses how the ADA’s definition of disability is often different from definitions used by service providers, federal programs, and advocates.

    Register for What is a Disability webinar

  • Free Webinar – Mid-Atlantic ADA Center – Unpacking Discrimination, Stigma, and Multiple Marginalization

    Tuesday, June 3, 2025, 12-1 p.m. ET

    The Mid-Atlantic ADA Center invites you to participate in the webinar series “The Human Experience of Black People with Disabilities and Their Rights Under the ADA,” which reports on our research study about how Black individuals with disabilities access information and exercise their rights under the ADA.

    Intersectionality recognizes that individuals hold multiple, interconnected social identities—such as race, disability, gender, and class—that interact in shaping their experiences of privilege and oppression. For Black individuals with disabilities, these overlapping identities often lead to compounded barriers in exercising rights and accessing opportunities under the ADA.

    This webinar will explore how these intersecting identities create specific vulnerabilities in areas like healthcare, education, employment, and public spaces. Through real-world examples, we will examine the impact of intersectional discrimination on Black disabled communities and discuss actionable strategies to address these challenges. By the end of the session, participants will be equipped with the tools to analyze and advocate for the rights of Black individuals with disabilities through an intersectional framework.

    Register for this Intersectionality webinar

  • Help Us Measure The Impact of the ADA - 35 Years Later

    This July 26th marks the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990—a landmark civil rights law that continues to shape access and equity in everyday life. While progress has been made, the need to understand the ADA's ongoing impact—and the barriers that still exist—is more urgent than ever.

    We invite you to take part in a brief, anonymous survey to help us assess how far we've come and how far we still need to go. The survey results will be used to inform and guide technical assistance and policy recommendations related to the ADA.

    The survey closes May 30, so take the survey now!

    National Survey on Health and Disability (NSHD)

    Do you have a physical, mental, emotional, or health condition?

    If you answered ‘yes,’ the University of Kansas wants you to participate in the 2025 National Survey on Health and Disability (NSHD).

    The world is changing, and now, more than ever, your experiences need to be heard!

    Your shared knowledge and experiences will be used to develop resources, as well as policy and practice recommendations, to address issues that affect the health, employment, and lives of Americans with disabilities!

    Take the survey: 2025 National Survey on Health and Disability

    To learn more, visit the KU website and read the press release.

    This survey is available online in English, Español, and American Sign Language, or over the phone.

  • Free Webinar – Southeast ADA Center – ADA and Fostering an Inclusive Work Culture for Employees with Psychiatric Disabilities

    Thursday, May 22, 2025, 10-11 a.m. ET

    According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), approximately 23% of American adults experience some form of mental illness (or psychiatric disability) on a yearly basis. And across the population, almost 6% of American adults live with a serious mental health condition such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or long-term recurring major depression. For many individuals with psychiatric disabilities, work is key to their health and contributes to a sense of purpose and wellbeing. Thus, it is important that employers understand how to foster a mental health-friendly work culture.

    Register here for the Inclusive Work Culture webinar

  • Free Webinar – Mid-Atlantic ADA Center – Mental Health Matters: The Most Frequently Requested Workplace Accommodations

    Wednesday, May 21, 2025, 2-3 p.m. ET

    Accommodating workers with mental health conditions in the workplace may pose unique considerations that do not exist with other disabilities, as the need for accommodations may not always be apparent. Potential complexities may arise in understanding employee limitations and determining effective accommodations. Discover how the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) can help organizations navigate the complexities of accommodating employees with mental health conditions while promoting productivity and well-being. Extensive and pertinent resources will be provided.

    Register here for the Mental Health Accommodations webinar

  • How common is disability among adults in the US?

    Check out our latest blog post featuring Bill Erickson, the primary researcher behind the Northeast ADA Center’s newly updated DisabilityStatistics.org. Bill explains why there are different answers to this question depending on who you ask.

    To find your own disability statistics, visit Northeast ADA Center’s DisabilityStatistics.org!

  • Registration is open for the Virtual and In-Person 2025 ADA Symposiums!

    The National ADA Symposium is an annual conference on the Americans with Disabilities Act and disability-related laws. This comprehensive conference provides the latest information on all areas of the ADA, including regulations and guidelines, implementation strategies, and best practices.

    Virtual ADA Symposium: May 5-7, 2025

    In-Person ADA Symposium: June 15-18, 2025, Atlanta, Georgia

    To learn more and register, visit National ADA Symposium – Great Plains ADA Center

  • What is the ADA; 35 Years Along

    July 23, 2025, 1:00-2:00 pm EST

    Presenters: Joe Zesski, Program Manager Northeast ADA Center

    The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a landmark civil rights law that was passed in 1990. It works to ensure equal access and equal opportunity for people with disabilities in the community. This webinar will explore what the ADA is, how it came to be, its impact over the last 35 years, and how it continues to protect the rights of people with disabilities today.

    Register for the What is the ADA webinar

    Presented By: Joe Zesski & Chris Sweet

  • Small Business at Work: Ensuring Inclusion for All

    August 5, 2025, 1:00-2:00 pm EST

    Presenters: Wendy Strobel Gower, Northeast ADA Center Director, Jennifer Perry, Access Specialist Northeast ADA Center

    A small business can make a huge difference in its community when it ensures that customers can access its goods and services, and when it commits to inclusive hiring.

    Small businesses are required to comply with both Title I and Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), but translating the legal requirements into action can be challenging. Aimed at helping small business owners understand the law and the benefits of inclusion, this webinar will:

    • Discuss how the ADA applies to small businesses.
    • Introduce a free, web-based toolkit that supports small businesses as they seek to welcome community members as both customers and employees.
    • Show how to use the toolkit to improve disability inclusion and promote ADA compliance in your business.

    Register for the Small Business at Work webinar

    Presented By: Jennifer Perry & Wendy Strobel Gower

  • ADA Overview: A Focus on Title I

    September 9, 2025, 1:00-2:15 pm EST

    Presenter: Jeffrey Tamburo, Training and Content Development Specialist, Northeast ADA Center

    This session will present a broad overview of Title I of the ADA, the employment provisions.

    The presentation will last approximately 60 minutes followed by an additional fifteen minutes of Q&A time. One hour of CRC credit available.

    Register for the ADA Overview: A Focus on Title I

    Presented By: Jeffrey Tamburo

  • Disability Disclosure and the Interactive Process

    October 14, 2025, 1:00-2:15 pm EST

    Presenter: Jeffrey Tamburo, Training and Content Development Specialist, Northeast ADA Center

    Can an employer ask a job applicant or employee if they have a disability? How do I best support a job seeker/employee in making the best choice for them when it comes to disclosing a disability? What does the ADA mean by “the interactive process”? A job application invites applicants to “self-identify” as having a disability—what does this mean? This session will not only review what the ADA says about disability disclosure in the workplace, but also the very real human impact of disclosure. The presentation will last approximately 60 minutes followed by an additional fifteen minutes of Q&A time. One hour of CRC credit available.

    Register for the Disability Disclosure and the Interactive Process webinar

    Presented By: Jeffrey Tamburo

  • When the Employer Requests Documentation of Disability: Key Considerations for the Employment Service Professional

    November 12, 2025, 1:00-2:15 pm EST

    Presenter: Jeffrey Tamburo, Training and Content Development Specialist, Northeast ADA Center

    The ADA states that employers may request medical documentation as verification of disability, as long as it is “job related and consistent with business necessity.” What exactly does this mean? What are the guidelines for these requests? Who can provide this information and what should it say?

    The presentation will last approximately 60 minutes followed by an additional fifteen minutes of Q&A time. One hour of CRC credit available.

    Register for the When the Employer Requests Documentation of Disability webinar

    Presented By: Jeffrey Tamburo

  • Is an Accommodation Forever?

    December 9, 2025, 1:00-2:15 pm EST

    Presenter: Jeffrey Tamburo, Training and Content Development Specialist, Northeast ADA Center

    Much focus is given to exploring and implementing reasonable accommodations in the workplace, but it is equally important to continue to monitor accommodations to insure they remain effective over time. This session will explore best practices for the employment service professional to consider in their work with employers and supported employees when monitoring the ongoing effectiveness of workplace accommodations.

    The presentation will last approximately 60 minutes followed by an additional fifteen minutes of Q&A time. One hour of CRC credit available.

    Register for the Is an Accommodation Forever webinar

    Presented By: Jeffrey Tamburo