A History of Discrimination and the ADA
Find out why civil rights laws are important for protecting people with disabilities from discrimination, and get an overview of key US civil right laws that protect people with disabilities—including...
Who Is Protected by the ADA?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects the civil rights of people with disabilities, but who is disabled under the ADA?
How to File a Complaint
If you feel that the ADA, or a related law, is not being followed, you can file a complaint. This article helps you figure out where to report the problem.
Olmstead Decision
What’s the Olmstead decision? How does it relate to Title II of the ADA? This article introduces the Olmstead decision and looks at a few related court cases in New York, New Jersey, and Puerto Rico.
The ADA and Parking
Accessible parking is a common feature in parking lots—and a common topic in questions posed on the Northeast ADA Center hotline.
Articles
A History of Discrimination and the ADA
SUMMARY: Discrimination is when a person is treated unfairly compared to others. The United States has laws that prohibit many forms of discrimination, including discrimination against people with dis...
Who Is Protected by the ADA?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects the civil rights of people with disabilities, but how can we know whether someone has a disability, for the purposes of applying the law? The ADA ans...
How to File a Complaint
Is something not up to ADA standards? Do you want to file a complaint? If yes, start by figuring out which agency you should complain to. For example, to report a problem with public transportation, y...
Olmstead Decision
SUMMARY: The Olmstead decision, which was issued by the US Supreme Court in 1999, has had a major impact on many people and communities. It clarified that because of Title II of the ADA (Americans wit...
The ADA and Parking
SUMMARY: Accessible parking is a common feature in parking lots—and a common topic in questions posed on the Northeast ADA Center hotline. This article explains why accessible parking matters an...
The Spirit of the ADA and Your Business
SUMMARY: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has many regulations, and as a business owner, you may feel that you have a lot to do to meet ADA requirements. However, it may help to approach comp...
ADA Overview
The ADA, or the Americans with Disabilities Act, is the basis of many laws and rules that protect the civil rights of Americans who have some sort of disability. The ADA was passed in 1990 with strong...
Related Laws Overview
In the United States, several federal laws focus on disability or have provisions for disability. The focus of the Northeast ADA Center and this website is primarily the Americans with Disabilities Ac...
Equal Opportunity versus Affirmative Action
Equal opportunity is the idea that all people, regardless of their diversity characteristic, should be given an equal opportunity to succeed. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is an equal oppo...
ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA)
SIGNED BY: President George W. Bush
SIGNED ON: September 25, 2008
SIGNIFICANCE: The ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA) clarified the meaning of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by rejecting several...
Architectural Barriers Act (ABA)
SIGNED BY: President Lyndon Johnson
SIGNED ON: August 12, 1968
SIGNIFICANCE: The Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) mandates that buildings and facilities that are designed, built, or funded with fede...
The ADA and Service Animals
SUMMARY: What’s a service animal? The answer depends on the situation, and this FAQ article explains the basics.
The term service animal is often misunderstood or misused. Service animal has a...
The ADA and Public Places
SUMMARY: This article focuses on businesses—stores, restaurants, salons, theaters, and more—that are open to the public. Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has a lot to...
About Advocacy Resources
SUMMARY: The Northeast ADA Center aims to educate the public in our region about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Much of that education comes through providing technical assistance to indiv...
Fair Housing Act (FHA)
SIGNED BY: Lyndon Johnson (FHA), Ronald Reagan (FHAA)
SIGNED ON: 1968 (FHA); September 13, 1988 (FHAA)
SIGNIFICANCE: The original Fair Housing Act (FHA) prohibited discrimination based on race, colo...
Employment Overview
Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) says employers may not discriminate against a job applicant who has a disability. It also says employers may not discriminate against employees wit...
The ADA and Transportation Providers
SUMMARY: Many aspects of transportation are covered by regulations based on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This article gives an overview of the ADA requirements for transportation service...
The ADA and Service Animal Handlers
SUMMARY: What should someone with a service animal know about their rights and responsibilities as a service animal handler when they go into the community? This FAQ article explains a few important p...
The ADA and Title II Public Entities
SUMMARY: The ADA ensures access by people with disabilities to buildings, facilities, programs, services, and activities offered by state and local governments (public entities). These include voting...
The ADA and Employers
SUMMARY: Most employers must comply with the ADA’s employment-related rules about disability. These rules apply to all stages of employment: pre-offer, post-offer, and during employment. This ar...
What Is the Americans with Disabilities Act?
SIGNED BY: President George H. W. Bush
SIGNED ON: July 26, 1990
SIGNIFICANCE: Protects the civil rights of people with disabilities in many ways.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) had stron...
About Housing Accessibility
It is a common misconception that private residential housing is covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Where the ADA does apply in relation to housing is government-owned or -oper...
About Recreation Accessibility
SUMMARY: The ADA applies to recreational facilities, and this article explains not only why this is the case, but also why it matters. The article also helps you begin to understand the regulatio...
The ADA and Employment Service Professionals
SUMMARY: This article is a starting point for learning more about employment service professionals (ESPs). It explains how these professionals support the employment of individuals with disabilit...
Ask About The ADA
Are there State laws that protect people with disabilities?
Yes. Where the ADA sets the floor for disability rights and protections, states can go further to protect individual rights. Laws such as the New York State Human Rights Law (NYSHRL) and the New Jerse...
What is the ADA?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became law in 1990. The ADA is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including j...
Can I call the ADA?
The ADA is not an agency, organization or a service provider. The ADA is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including j...
Is my ADA Complaint with the Department of Justice anonymous?
The Department of Justice (DOJ) does require a complainant to file personal information when filing a complaint. If the DOJ does look to seek action, many times in the form of mediation, it would cont...
Can the ADA Pay?
Q: Will the ADA pay for things like wheelchair vans or a service animal?
A: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a law and not a federal agency. There is no funding for providing things like...
Courts and Accessible Electronic Documents
Q: I am an attorney who uses a screen reader due to my disability. I have a case in the circuit court. Must the court provide me with accessible versions of electronic documents?
Weather Not So Delightful; Snow Removal and the ADA
As winter hangs on here in the Northeast, snow can prove a challenge for businesses and a potential barrier for individuals with disabilities. Snow plowed into the access aisle of an accessible parkin...
#Thanks to the ADA—Puerto Rico
As we approach the 30th Anniversary of the ADA, many people are celebrating how far we have come, as well as reflecting on how far we still have to go. The Northeast ADA Center is part of the ADA Nati...
Weather Not So Delightful; Snow Removal and the ADA
As winter hangs on here in the Northeast, snow can prove a challenge for businesses and a potential barrier for individuals with disabilities. Snow plowed into the access aisle of an accessible parkin...
#Thanks to the ADA—Puerto Rico
As we approach the 30th Anniversary of the ADA, many people are celebrating how far we have come, as well as reflecting on how far we still have to go. The Northeast ADA Center is part of the ADA Nati...
30+ Years of the Americans with Disabilities Act
We have been celebrating the 30th Anniversary of the ADA all year! This landmark, civil rights legislation is the most far-reaching when it comes to protecting the rights of people with disabilities t...
Service Animals at Work in the Human Workplace
by Joe Zesski and Angela Winfield
Is it mandatory to allow service animals in the workplace?
This is a tricky question. And, like most tricky questions, the answer is it depends. Under the America...
Title II and the ADA: You’re not alone!
When the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law by President George H.W. Bush in 1990, it was hailed by many in the disabled community as a giant leap forward in their struggle for equal...
No Dogs Allowed? Service Animals at Work
One of the most frequently asked about topics at the Northeast ADA Center is service animals. Often, these questions relate to service animals in businesses and public spaces; or about the right to ha...
#Thanks to the ADA—NY
As we approach the 30th Anniversary of the ADA, many people are celebrating how far we have come, as well as reflecting on how far we still have to go. The Northeast ADA Center is part of the ADA Nati...
How to Engage in ADA Conversations
Like many people, I thought I knew enough about inclusivity when I began as a student employee for the Northeast ADA Center in September 2019. But in my time working with the Americans with Disabiliti...
ADA Anniversary: Focus on Accessible Outdoor Recreation
Summer is upon us and this is the time of year that many people find themselves wanting to get outside and participate in outdoor recreation activities. People with disabilities, and their family and...
Title II of the ADA
Title II of the ADA: A Summary
Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to all programs, services, and activities operated by, on behalf of, or with the substantial support o...
Issues, Impacts, and Implications of an Aging Workforce
Differences challenge assumptions. —Anne Wilson Schaef
What comes to mind when you think about getting older? Often it is assumed that aging brings a host of health problems and limitations....
Healthcare Reform and People with Disabilities: What you Should Know
By Ellice Switzer As a result of the November elections, the Republican Party has taken control of the legislative and executive branches of the federal government, as well as most of the Governorship...
Are my accommodations very accommodating?
With summer vacations in our mind here at the Northeast ADA Center, it has got us thinking about hotels. More importantly it has us thinking about accessible hotels. While the original Americans wit...
Explainer: Accessible Absentee Voting in NYS
Joe Zesski of the Northeast ADA Center explains the role technology can play in accommodating voters with disabilities.
It's the law in New York state that voters must be permitted to vote privately...
Leave as a Reasonable Accommodation—The EEOC Weighs In
Shared from Enforcement Guidance: Reasonable Accommodation and Undue Hardship Under the Americans with Disabilities Act. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission http://www.ee...
Recreation Access for Everybody!
Summer is fast approaching and it’s got the Northeast ADA Center staff thinking about increasing our activity and enjoying parks, beaches, and other recreation spaces!
The Americans with Disabi...
Supporting the Mission of Independent Living Centers
By Chris Sweet
On September 10th and 11th, 2019, I had the honor of representing the Northeast ADA Center at the New York Association on Independent Living Statewide Conference and Expo at the Albany...
Online on the Job: Employers and Web Access
There is a growing awareness of the need for web sites to be accessible. Employers often have questions as to whether or not they have any obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)...
The ADA and Collective Bargaining Issues
This brochure was written by Laurie M. Johnston, Esq., Harris, Beach & Wilcox, Ithaca, New York.
What is the Americans with Disabilities Act?
The Americans with Disabilities Act ("ADA"), passed...
Employers and the ADA: Myths and Facts
This material was published by the US Department of Labor Office of Disability Employment Policy.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a landmark federal law that protects the rights of peopl...
Workplace Bullying, Harassment, and Disability
By LaWanda Cook and Sarah von Schrader
“I had a particularly bad experience with a supervisor who was attempting to force me to quit the company… making various disparaging statements &h...
Webinars
ADA 101.2 Overview of Title I and Employment 04/26/2021-
This webinar is the third in the Northeast ADA's ADA 101 series. Intended for those new to the Americans with Disabilities Act or for those wanting a refresher, this webinar will focus on the employme...
Is That a Service Animal: What Rights Apply Where 01/24/2018-
The Northeast ADA Center is often asked about service animals. It can be confusing for individuals with disabilities, businesses, transit providers, and landlords to know what rights a person with a d...
The ADA & Aging Americans 08/10/2016-
This webinar will discuss the intersection of America’s aging population and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). As the American population ages and more individuals join the ranks of sen...
Building Trust & Openness: The Human Side of Disability in the Workplace 05/11/2016-
When many people think of disability in the workplace, they think of the law. This is understandable; there are several important laws prohibiting disability discrimination at work. Yet, a key issue f...
ADA 101.2 Overview of Title I and Employment 04/26/2021-
This webinar is the third in the Northeast ADA's ADA 101 series. Intended for those new to the Americans with Disabilities Act or for those wanting a refresher, this webinar will focus on the employme...
Is That a Service Animal: What Rights Apply Where 01/24/2018-
The Northeast ADA Center is often asked about service animals. It can be confusing for individuals with disabilities, businesses, transit providers, and landlords to know what rights a person with a d...
The ADA & Aging Americans 08/10/2016-
This webinar will discuss the intersection of America’s aging population and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). As the American population ages and more individuals join the ranks of sen...
Building Trust & Openness: The Human Side of Disability in the Workplace 05/11/2016-
When many people think of disability in the workplace, they think of the law. This is understandable; there are several important laws prohibiting disability discrimination at work. Yet, a key issue f...
Regional issues in Transportation: Panel Discussion 02/25/2015-
This webinar will highlight recent case law and advancements in accessibility surrounding transportation (i.e. the New York City Accessible Taxi Settlement) and review regional transportation is...
Interacting with Individuals with Disabilities in Law Enforcement 10/30/2013-
Law enforcement officials, such as police officers, sheriffs, deputies, and other law enforcement personnel play an important role within our communities in ensuring and maintaining the safety of all...
Open for Business: Market and Disability Trends 07/23/2010-
When most businesses think of disability and accessibility, they think of the law. But what about business? People with disabilities represent a significant segment of the customer/consumers of any...
Web Accessibility Webinar Series 03/18/2010-
Colleges and Universities are using the internet as a tool to facilitate applications, registration, and dissemination of important information about benefits. Web accessibility ensures that all stude...
Web Accessibility Webinar Series 02/22/2010-
Colleges and Universities are using the internet as a tool to facilitate applications, registration, and dissemination of important information about benefits. Web accessibility ensures that all stude...
Web Accessibility Webinar Series 01/11/2010-
Colleges and Universities are using the internet as a tool to facilitate applications, registration, and dissemination of important information about benefits. Web accessibility ensures that all stude...
Web Accessibility Webinar Series 12/11/2009-
Colleges and Universities are using the internet as a tool to facilitate applications, registration, and dissemination of important information about benefits. Web accessibility ensures that all stude...
News
New York Passes Law Against Service Animal Fraud, Joining Other States 01/17/2018-
New York recently joined an increasing number of states that have passed laws aimed at curbing abuse of laws and regulations designed to ensure that individuals with disabilities can be accompanied by...
Football Player Sues the New York Jets for ADA Violation 11/20/2019-
The Jets' strong safety, Rontez Miles, filed a lawsuit in New Jersey state court against the NFL alleging that his rights under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (NJ LAD) and the Americans wit...
New York Passes Law Against Service Animal Fraud, Joining Other States 01/17/2018-
New York recently joined an increasing number of states that have passed laws aimed at curbing abuse of laws and regulations designed to ensure that individuals with disabilities can be accompanied by...
Football Player Sues the New York Jets for ADA Violation 11/20/2019-
The Jets' strong safety, Rontez Miles, filed a lawsuit in New Jersey state court against the NFL alleging that his rights under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (NJ LAD) and the Americans wit...
The Deaf Community Voices its Claims in PR 01/16/2019-
The Deaf Autonomous Movement (MAS, by its Spanish acronym), as well as individual deaf people, their families and advocates, have been recently demanding across the media and on social media that thei...
University of Montana Research on ADA Has National Implications 01/16/2019-
A research center at the University of Montana is brokering answers to contemporary questions about the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
The UM Rural Institute for Inclusive Communiti...
New York Lawmakers Plan to Address Website Accessibility 06/21/2019-
A Committee in the New York State Senate aims to develop a legal standard for the accessibility of business websites under New York law, in response to the exponential increase in website accessibilit...
U.S. Access Board Releases Animation on Sales and Service Counters 08/15/2018-
The U.S. Access Board has released an animation on accessible sales and service counters as part of its online guide to standards issued under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Archite...
Sign Language to Be Taught at Public Schools in Puerto Rico 03/21/2018-
The Governor of Puerto Rico, Ricardo Rossello Nevares, signed Senate Bill 606 into a law. The bill establishes the inclusion of a sign language course in every school, at all levels of the Department...
Justice Department Scraps ADA Guidance 01/17/2018-
Attorney General Jeff Sessions said he is rescinding more than two dozen guidance documents including several clarifying the implications of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Guidance documents are...
Happy 27th Anniversary ADA! 07/19/2017-
On July 26, 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed into law the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in employment, transportation, public...
Understanding the Word Disability in the ADA-Free Webinar! 04/19/2017-
Wednesday April 26th 2017 1 pm EDT to 2 pm EDT.
Presented by Joe Zesski
Disability is a term that is used by people in many different ways. Often when they call the Northeast ADA Center,...
Effective Communication and the ADA 08/15/2018-
The ADA requires that Title II entities (State and local governments) and Title III entities (businesses and nonprofit organizations that serve the public) communicate effectively with people who have...
28th Anniversary of the ADA! 07/18/2018-
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law by President George H.W. Bush on July 26, 1990. This legislation established a comprehensive national mandate for the elimination of discr...
Hammonton NJ Youth Gymnastics Program Settles ADA Complaint 05/16/2018-
An investigation by the U.S. Attorney's Office determined that the Hammonton youth gymnastics program was in violation of Title III of the ADA. The law requires businesses that serve the public, inclu...
Are The Nation's Schools Following the ADA? 05/16/2018-
Members of Congress are asking for a federal investigation into whether schools across the country are in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Citing a 2015 report from the US Attorney...
Free Webinar! "Is That a Service Animal: What Rights Apply Where?" 01/17/2018-
January 24, 20181:00pm to 2:00pm
One of the most popular topics that the Northeast ADA is asked about is service animals. It can be confusing for individuals with disabilities, businesses, transit pr...
Uncertainty in the Cases of Special Education in Puerto Rico 01/17/2018-
The restructuring of Puerto Rico's debt has cast a shadow of uncertainty over hundreds, if not, thousands of cases that are currently being argued in court as part of claims so that children and young...
What Was The EEOC Up To This Year? Takeaways From 2017 01/17/2018-
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's fiscal year ended on Sept. 30, 2017 and it has released its yearly "Performance and Accountability Report." Although this is a look back, it provides...
Facebook Friends-Workplace Enemies-Free Webinar 08/16/2017-
Tuesday, September 19th, 20172:00 PM EDT - 3:30 PM EDTCan I Google applicants or use information posted on Facebook? Within social media and employment law the risk of social media in the employment w...
April is Fair Housing Month 04/19/2017-
Happy Fair Housing Month! The theme for this year's Fair Housing Month commemoration is "Fair Housing Equals Opportunity," which emphasizes the fact that equality in housing provides the foundat...
Cherry Hill Student Prevails in Fight to Bring Service Dog to School 03/16/2017-
In Cherry Hill, NJ it took several months of lobbying school officials before they decided they should allow junior Ben Shore to bring his service dog to school, while they worked to revise the policy...
Supreme Court Sides with Family in Service Dog Case 03/16/2017-
The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday unanimously ruled that the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals should reconsider whether Ehlena Fry and her family can sue a Michigan school district for its decision...
EEOC Scores $2.7M Disability Bias Deal for Sample Servers 12/18/2019-
A company that provides retailers with food sample demonstrators agreed to pay nearly $2.7 million to resolve a U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission lawsuit claiming it violated federal anti-d...
Autism CARES Act Reauthorized 10/16/2019-
The Autism Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education and Support, or Autism CARES, Act, was signed into law by President Trump on September 30. This reauthorization of the act provides expand...
Autism CARES Act Reauthorized 10/16/2019-
The Autism Collaboration, Accountability, Research, Education and Support, or Autism CARES, Act, was signed into law by President Trump on September 30. This reauthorization of the act provides expand...
Walmart Pharmacist with Palsy Wins $744K In ADA Trial 03/20/2019-
A federal jury has ruled that retail giant Walmart Inc. wrongly fired a Washington State pharmacist whose medical conditions kept her from giving injections.
The Olympian newspaper reports the Tacoma...
Employment Training Program Helps Young Adults with Disabilities Prepare 02/21/2019-
Atlantic Center for Independent Living (Atlantic CIL) has partnered with Atlantic City and Pleasantville school districts this year for the roll-out of a new pre-employment transition services (pre-ET...
