Search

• 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 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...
• State- and Territory-Based Accessibility Requirements
  SUMMARY: This article discusses the relationship between federal ADA standards and state or local accessibility standards, in the context of the built environment, that is, things like buildings, side...
• 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 Fixed-Route Buses
  SUMMARY: This page is for bus operators and anyone who needs to understand bus accessibility. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has regulations that describe how operators of fixed-route buses...
• 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...
• State & Local Government Overview
  The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has an entire title, Title II, devoted to the accessibility of state and local governments. Title II requires that people with disabilities have equal access...
• About the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design
  Summary: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) calls for many aspects of the built environment to be accessible to people with disabilities. The requirements for making that happen are found in th...
• 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...
• Finding Disability Statistics
  Summary: Statistics about disability in New York, New Jersey, and Puerto Rico are easy to find on the Local Area Disability Data Dashboard. You can also find national disability data and a disability...
• 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...
• 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...
• 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...
• Administrative Requirements for Title II Public Entities
  SUMMARY: To jumpstart and maintain their compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Title II public entities should adhere to five administrative requirements. To comply with the Amer...
• The ADA and Facility Access Stakeholders
  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 regulations f...
• Buildings & Facilities Overview
  The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has a lot to say about the physical objects that make up our built environment. Built environment refers to the things around us that are made by people and t...
• Public Places Overview
  The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) covers public places. The ADA has different things to say about different types of public places. Title II of the ADA covers public places that are funded by...
• 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 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...
• The ADA and Health Care Providers
  SUMMARY: This article introduces basic Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requirements for health care providers. It talks about providing access to the actual building and its features, the use of...
• 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...
• 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...
• About Effective Communication in Title II and Title III
  SUMMARY: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) discusses communications-related requirements for Title II and Title III entities. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) sets the groundwork for...
• Miniature Horses as Service Animals
  SUMMARY: Under the regulations for Title II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) from the Department of Justice (DOJ), a service animal must be a dog and no other species of animal. Ho...
• Parking & Transportation Overview
  SUMMARY: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has given us inspiration, guidance, and specific rules about parking and transportation. Accessible Parking and Transportation Makes a Difference T...
• Rehabilitation Act
  SIGNED BY: President Richard Nixon SIGNED ON: September 26, 1973 SIGNIFICANCE: The Rehabilitation Act was one of the first civil rights laws in the United States to protect people with disabilities...
• 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...
• Health Care Overview
  What with Titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the Rehabilitation Act, nearly all health care providers must follow many rules in order to avoid discriminating against p...
• 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...
• 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...
• Health care provider as employer
  Most often, health care providers are thought of in terms of their relationship to patients or patrons. Significantly, however, the role of a health care provider as an employer cannot be overlooked....
• About Voting Access Rights
  Summary: Many different laws apply to voting rights for people with disabilities. Also, you can report voting problems. Voting is a right of all Americans, including people with disabilities. As long...
• The clinician-patient with a disability relationship
  The clinician-patient relationship is crucial to the diagnosis, treatment, and care for an individual. Respectful communication with and about the patient is essential. Beyond their medical needs, a p...
• 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...
• 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 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...
• 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...
• 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...

• How to be Welcoming to Patients with Disabilities (PDF)
  
• Employment of Veterans with Service-Connected Disabilities (PDF)
  
• Overview of Revised Title II and Title III Regulations (PDF)
  
• Examinations and Courses (PDF)
  
• Places of Lodging (PDF)
  
• Service Animals (PDF)
  
• Ticketing (PDF)
  
• Wheelchairs and Other Power-Driven Mobility Devices (PDF)
  
• Overview of the 2010 Standards for Accessible Design (PDF)
  
• The ADA and Small Business (PDF)
  
• Q&A - Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals in Single Family Homes Used as Vacation Rentals: ADA and FHA Implications (PDF)
  
• Is COVID-19 a Disability? (PDF)
  Determining whether people with long-COVID have a disability requires an individual assessment. People with lasting effects from COVID-19 that impact their ability to work should request reasonable ac...
• ADA Amendments Act Fact Sheet (2009) (PDF)
  ADA Amendments Act Fact Sheet (2009)
• Detention & Correctional Facilities (PDF)
  ADA National Network Fact Sheet #8: Detention & Correctional Facilities
• Effective Communication (PDF)
  ADA National Network Fact Sheet #2: Effective Communication
• Outdoor Recreation & Accessible Routes (PDF)
  Explore the topic of accessible routes at outdoor recreation sites in this fact sheet from the Northeast ADA Center.
• Outdoor Recreation & Picnic Tables (PDF)
  Equal access includes amenities like picnic tables. This fact sheet from the Northeast ADA Center describes the details.
• Outdoor Recreation & Accessible Portable Toilets (PDF)
  Restroom access is important for outdoor recreation. This fact sheet from the Northeast ADA explains requirements for accessible portable toilets.
• Bus Operators: Key Tips for Serving Riders with Disabilities (PDF)
  Discover best practices and ADA rules for bus operators to transport riders with disabilities in this fact sheet from the Northeast ADA Center.
• Swimming Pool Lift Requirements (PDF)
  Read about ADA requirements for swimming pool lifts and the 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design, Sections 242 and 1009, in this fact sheet from the Northeast ADA Center.
• Other Means of Pool Access (PDF)
  Read about ADA requirements for swimming pool access—slope, transfer wall, transfer system, stairs, and more—in a fact sheet from the Northeast ADA Center.
• Beach Access Routes (PDF)
  What makes a public beach accessible? View photos and get an overview of important standards and best practices in this fact sheet from the Northeast ADA Center.
• Golf Courses (PDF)
  Learn about regulations for golf course accessibility and for golf car passages in this fact sheet from the Northeast ADA Center.
• Service Animals Can Be Miniature Horses (PDF)
  Learn why miniature horses can be ideal as service animals in this colorful fact sheet from the Northeast ADA Center
• Advocacy and Independent Living Resources (PDF)
  Fact sheet about disability advocacy, legal, or other enforcement-related assistance in New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands
• Job Coaches as Accommodations (PDF)
  Is a job coach a reasonable accommodation? Find expert advice in a fact sheet from the Northeast ADA Center. employment service professional, ESP
• Web Accessibility at Colleges and Universities (PDF)
  Accessible virtual learning and web content in higher education, with an overview of WCAG 2.1 recommendations and implementation tips. A fact sheet from the Northeast ADA Center.
• Including Older People with Disabilities (PDF)
  This fact sheet discusses how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to older people. Search: elderly, retired, senior
• Service Animals and Emotional Support Animals Are Not the Same (PDF)
  Learn why service animals and emotional support animals are different
• Shopping and Customer Service (PDF)
  Does the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) require retail stores to provide wheelchairs to shoppers? Find out in a fact sheet from the Northeast ADA Center. Title III.
• Four Laws That Protect the Rights of Voters with Disabilities (PDF)
  Four US laws protect the voting rights of people with disabilities, and you can learn about them in a fact sheet from the Northeast ADA Center. Vote, voter, poll, polling
• Inclusive Fitness Toolkit (PDF)
  
• Key Facts about Service Animals for Disaster Shelter Workers (PDF)
  Disaster Shelters must permit a person with a disability to be accompanied by their service animal, even if the shelter has a “No Pets” policy.
• The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) & Older People (PDF)
  Learn about why the ADA is important for older people in this fact sheet from the Northeast ADA Center. Search: elderly, retired, senior

• How States Are Helping People with Disabilities Break Into Government Jobs
  06/22/2018- Governing Magazine recently published an article about what state governments are doing to recruit, hire and retain talented employees with disabilities. State governments have a critical role to play...
• College Students Rally at New York State Capitol, Fighting to Secure Funding for Disability Services
  02/19/2020- Students with disabilities from across the state have gathered at the Capitol to urge increased state funding for higher education disability services. The State Education Department has included a $1...
• Settlement Reached Over Cumberland County's Access to Polling Locations
  02/22/2018- The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania on Monday announced a settlement with Cumberland County over its access to polling places. According to the attorney's office, it and...
• SCOTUS Orders State, City Responses to Lawyer's Certiorari Petition in ADA Suit Over Courthouse Access
  02/21/2019- The high court's directive to the state and city comes as part of an increasingly fierce legal battle being waged between disabled lawyer Caner Demirayak and government officials over what type of cha...
• Disability Advocates Address Transportation Issues at NJ Transit Hearing
  02/19/2020- Recently, advocates and paratransit experts addressed a New Jersey Senate Select Committee on New Jersey Transit. The hearing was a forum to raise the pressing concerns of individuals with disabilitie...
• Mid-Atlantic ADA Update - the 26th Annual Conference on the Americans with Disabilities Act
  10/16/2019- The Mid-Atlantic ADA Update, the 26th annual conference on the Americans with Disabilities Act will be held this November in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The 2019 conference will provide a wide range o...
• New York Inmates with Mental Illness Are Held in Prison Past Their Release Dates, Lawsuit Claims
  02/21/2019- A lack of community-based mental health housing facilities have left mentally ill inmates incarcerated months past their release dates - including some in solitary confinement, a new lawsuit alleges....
• Disabled veterans find peace and fish during 'thank you' tournament at Table Rock Lake
  A group of 21 disabled Missouri veterans got an unusual "thank you" for their service Wednesday morning on the cool water of Table Rock Lake. They went fishing. Guided by professional bass angler...
• 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...
• For New Yorkers with Disabilities, Decision to Work Now Less Stressful
  05/16/2018- New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli recently came to Buffalo to spread the word about a state program that can relieve the stress of a higher income on individuals with disabilities and their f...
• "Jake's Law" would nudge every N.J. County to build a playground accessible to all children
  A bill up for consideration in the state Assembly would push every New Jersey County to build at least one "inclusive" playground that is accessible to children with disabilities.  Inclusive play...
• Free Webinar! Beach Access Routes—Key Considerations for Public Entities
  06/21/2017- June 28, 2017, 1:00-2:00 p.m. Presented by Jennifer Perry It's that time of year that many of us take advantage of the summer weather and head to the shore for some R&R. This webinar will review...
• Edinburg Hospital to Settle Lawsuit Claiming Ineffective Communication for Deaf Patients
  07/19/2017- After being sued by the US Attorney's Office from the southern district of Texas, Doctors Hospital at Renaissance has agreed to settle a lawsuit claiming the hospital failed to provide auxiliary aids...
• 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...
• U.S. Access Board Free Webinar: Differences Between the ADA and ABA Accessibility Standards
  03/20/2019- April 4th 2019, from 2:30pm EST to 4:00pm EST This webinar will review differences between accessibility requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and those of the Architectural Barri...
• Parents of Children with Autism Use Benefits to Continue to Work
  04/19/2017- Penn State, University of Pennsylvania, and the RAND Corporation teamed up to research employment trends of parents with children with autism. The data came from the 2005-2006 and 2009-2010 National S...
• New Yorkers with Developmental Disabilities Stuck in Hospital After COVID-19 Recovery
  04/15/2020- As patients with coronavirus recover in the hospital, those with developmental disabilities are finding that they cannot be released due the inability of staff, who provide care at their group homes,...
• Formulation/Development of New York's 3-Year State Plan for Independent Living (SPIL) 2020-2022
  07/18/2018- Title VII of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, provides the authority for the New York State Independent Living Council, Inc. (NYSILC) and the network of Federally-Funded Centers for Indepen...
• Spanish Version of DDS Brochures Available in NJ
  11/20/2019- In addition to an English and audio version, New Jersey Resources 2019-2020 is now available in Spanish! The Spanish version is available both electronically and in print. View it electronically here...
• Disability Discrimination Complaint Filed Over COVID-19 Treatment Rationing Plan in Washington State
  04/15/2020- Self Advocates in Leadership (SAIL), Disability Rights Washington (DRW), and The Arc of the United States (The Arc) filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office for C...
• Airlines Face Soaring Disability Complaints
  06/21/2017- The number of disability-related complaints against airlines shot up more than twofold in a decade, a new government report finds. Travelers with disabilities filed more than 30,000 complaints with ai...
• Princeton University reaches deal with U.S. Department of Justice on ADA compliance issues
  01/18/2017- Princeton University students with mental health disabilities will have better access to seeking "reasonable" housing and other accommodations, according to a settlement agreement that Princeton's Nas...
• 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...
• Animation on Signs Now Available from the U.S. Access Board
  02/15/2017- A new animation on accessible signage is now available from the U.S. Access Board as part of its online guide to standards issued under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Arch...
• 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...
• Program for Students with Disabilities will expand to Staten Island Elementary Schools
  07/17/2019- A program for elementary-aged students with disabilities is expanding to Staten Island, according to state Assemblyman Michael Reilly (R-South Shore). The New York City Department of Education's (DOE)...
• Five Years In, Critics Say NY Agency Offers Little Justice for Disabled
  08/15/2018- Over a recent three-year period, 10,117 vulnerable New Yorkers died while in state care or the care of a program overseen by the state. In at least 140 of those, the state Justice Center for the Prote...
• Community Care for Adults with Disabilities to Continue Through Fiscal 2021
  04/19/2017-  The federal government has given New Jersey the go-ahead to expand and reform work it has done over the past 45 years to provide community-based services to adults with serious disabilities to h...
• In Queens Courts, Unequal Access to Justice Starts at the Stairs
  03/19/2020- The wheelchair lift at the Queens Supreme Courthouse in Jamaica does not get used, but it is not broken. City and state officials cannot agree on whose responsibility it is to operate the lift on Sutp...
• Sensory Friendly Watchung Reservation Trail Caters to Individuals with Special Needs
  09/19/2018- It's the first of its kind in Union County, the first of its kind in New Jersey and possibly the first of its kind in the nation. The Watchung Reservation Sensory Trail is open, catering to people wit...
• Hertz to Pay $45,000 to Settle EEOC Disability Discrimination Lawsuit
  05/16/2018- According to the EEOC's lawsuit, Hertz actively recruited Norman "Dan" Newton for a sales position in its car sales division in Denver after spotting his resume online. Newton agreed to meet with the...
• Bill Introduced for a New Special Education Act in Puerto Rico
  03/21/2018- Bill 1484 of the House of Representatives of Puerto Rico introduces the new Act for the Education of Children with Disabilities at a local level. This measure was introduced by Representative Rafael (...
• 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...
• New State Ombudsman for People With Disabilities Meets Critical NJ Need
  08/15/2018- A vulnerable population that has been left behind in recent years now has a new lifeline in New Jersey, thanks to the appointment of Paul Aronsohn, the new Ombudsman for Individuals with Intellectual...
• New York State Offers an Access Pass
  08/15/2018- Access Pass is for NY State residents with a disability as defined in the application process. It allows for free or discounted use of state parks, historic sites, and recreational facilities operated...
• Florida Agrees to Make Prisons More Accessible for Inmates with Disabilities
  07/19/2017- A lawsuit filed by Disability Rights Florida has been settled with the State to address disability related barriers that inmates face. The settlement, filed in United States District Court in Tallahas...
• N.J. Coronavirus Patients with Developmental Disabilities Must be Allowed a Visitor at Hospital, State Says
  05/20/2020- Recognizing that having a support person is essential to patients with disabilities, the NJ health commissioner has ordered that COVID-19 patients with developmental disabilities can have a family mem...
• DiNapoli Report: People with Disabilities Have Higher Unemployment Rates and Lower Incomes
  11/20/2019- People with disabilities in New York City face the same challenges as those elsewhere in the nation, including obstacles to employment, higher rates of poverty and lower earnings than those without di...
• Why Is It Getting Harder To Find Accessible Parking In NJ?
  04/18/2018- With the graying of America, there has been an increased need for accessible parking spaces, said Mary Ciccone, an attorney with the advocacy group Disability Rights New Jersey. The number of accessib...
• Why Is It Getting Harder To Find Accessible Parking In NJ?
  04/18/2018- With the graying of America, there has been an increased need for accessible parking spaces, said Mary Ciccone, an attorney with the advocacy group Disability Rights New Jersey. The number of accessib...
• Special Education School Vouchers May Come With Hidden Costs
  04/19/2017-  For many parents of children with disabilities in public school systems, the lure of the private school voucher is strong. Vouchers for students with disabilities have been endorsed by the Trump...
• US Attorney Reaches Settlements In Restaurant-Access Complaint
  01/15/2020- The US Attorney's Office for the State of Connecticut reached settlement agreements with the Market Place Kitchen & Bar of 32 Church Hill Road and with its landlord, Mesa Contractors, December 17,...
• Commemoration in Puerto Rico of the International Day of Persons with Disabilities
  01/16/2019- On December 3, on the commemoration of the International Day of People with Disabilities, a group of persons with disabilities from various organizations met at the PR Capitol and the Governor's Offic...
• 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...
• 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...
• Withdrawn Technical Assistance and Guidance Documents
  01/17/2018- As part of the ongoing government-wide effort to reduce regulatory burdens and improve the quality of guidance documents offered to the public, the Department has been reviewing its catalogue of techn...
• Federal Government Reaches Settlement in Lawsuit over Preschool's Expulsion of a Child with a Disability
  01/15/2020- A nationwide chain of day care centers has agreed to settle federal litigation accusing it of disability discrimination. Spring Education, formerly known as Nobel Learning Communities, agreed to adopt...
• Owner of Betty Ford Center Reaches Settlement with DOJ Over Americans with Disabilities Act
  07/17/2019- The Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation finalized a settlement agreement, agreeing to remove architectural barriers to access at the Betty Ford Center, a well-known drug and alcohol treatment facility in R...
• Harris County TX, DOJ Reach Settlement Over Poll Access
  05/15/2019- The U.S. Department of Justice will monitor Harris County elections, at county expense, for up to four years under the settlement of a federal lawsuit over inadequate access to polling places for vote...
• Gates Chili Central School District in Rochester, NY Spent $609,000 in 7-year Fight over Students Service Dog
  04/17/2019- The ongoing battle between the Gates Chili Central School District and the U.S. Department of Justice over a service dog for a student with a disability has so far racked up more than $600,000 in lega...
• Facebook Charged With Disability-Related Discrimination
  04/17/2019- The federal government is accusing Facebook of illegally using its advertising platform to discriminate against people with disabilities and other groups. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Deve...
• Access Board ABA Case Results in Improved Access to Historic Federal Building
  04/17/2019- The General Services Administration (GSA) has improved access to the Joel W. Solomon Federal Building and United States Court House in Chattanooga, Tennessee in response to a complaint filed with the...
• Free Webinar - Accessible Content Shared Through Social Media
  03/20/2019- Tuesday, March 26th, 2019 1:00 - 2:30 PM EDT The use of social media by federal agencies has become widespread. Agencies use social media to promote their mission and to engage members of the public....
• 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...
• Northeast ADA Center Contributes to Training for NYC Disability Service Facilitators
  10/18/2017- The Northeast ADA Center was happy to participate in a 2 day training program in September, 2017, administered through the ADA National Network, the NYC Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities (MO...
• VA Adopts New Standards for Medical Diagnostic Equipment
  05/18/2017- The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will adopt new accessibility standards issued by the U.S. Access Board to ensure access to medical diagnostic equipment (MDE) at its health care...
• Statement of the Department of Justice on Application of the Integration Mandate of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Olmstead vs. L.C. to State and Local Governments' Employment Service Systems for Individuals with Disabilities
  In Olmstead vs. L.C., the Supreme Court mandated integration as part of Title II of the ADA, in order to place people with disabilities in the most integrated setting. This means the se...
• EEOC Issues New Guidance for Employers On Compliance With The Americans With Disabilities Act And The Rehabilitation Act During The COVID-19 Pandemic
  04/15/2020- The guidance states that, while employers must continue to comply with the ADA and the Rehabilitation Act, those laws do not interfere with or prevent employers from following the guidelines and sugge...
• Recapping the Many Legal Developments Affecting Private Employers in New York and New Jersey, So Far, in 2019
  09/18/2019- There have been many significant developments in the first half of 2019 impacting private employers in New York and New Jersey. Federal, state, and local legislatures and agencies have been particular...
• New York State Passes Funding to Improve Accessibility of Sidewalks
  05/18/2017- A total of $112.2 million in funding has been awarded to support transportation enhancements across New York State.  According to the governor's office, funding supports projects that include mul...
• Push to Expand Medicaid Coverage for NJ Disability Services
  03/19/2020- In an effort to support young people with disabilities in higher education, NJ legislators have introduced five bills for consideration that would expand coverage for personal aides and lower the age...
• JCC of Central NJ hosts a free special needs symposium on Feb. 25, 2018
  02/22/2018- In honor of Jewish Disability Inclusion and Awareness Month, the JCC of Central NJ in Scotch Plains is hosting a free Special Needs Symposium on Sunday, February 25th, from 2-5 p.m. The keynote speake...
• Free Webinar! The Power of Apprenticeship: Including People with Disabilities
  10/18/2017- October 25th, 2017 12pm to 1:30pm ESTApprenticeships serve two purposes. They offer opportunities for job seekers to build real world employment skills while earning money. They also meet the needs of...
• Remember to Celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month!
  10/18/2017- October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, so please consider encouraging all members of your organization to participate in this awareness project. The purpose of National Disability...
• McDonald's to pay $56,500 to Settle EEOC Disability Discrimination Suit
  The EEOC charged that McDonald's refused to interview a job applicant at its Belton, Mo., restaurant because of his deafness, resulting in McDonald's paying $56,500 to settle a discrimination suit. Th...
• Free Webinar: Small Business at Work: A toolkit to help small businesses leverage the talents of people with disabilities
  05/20/2020- Wednesday, May 27, 2020 from 12:00 PM to 01:00 PM It's been said many times: small businesses are the backbone of America. They contribute well over half the money and jobs that fuel our economy. The...
• Williamsburg Appeal: Historic Win for Gluten-free and Food Allergy Rights
  06/21/2019- A U.S. Court of Appeals has ruled that a 12-year-old with a severe gluten intolerance has a disability, and that it was reasonable for him to request that a restaurant within the Colonial Williamsburg...
• Party City to Pay $155,000 to Settle EEOC Disability Discrimination Lawsuit
  05/15/2019- The EEOC's lawsuit, filed in September 2018, charged that Party City violated federal law by failing to hire a qualified employee with a disability at its Nashua, N.H., location after it became aware...
• Disability Integration Act Reintroduced, Fights for Independence of Disabled Individuals
  02/21/2019- A piece of civil rights legislation reintroduced on January 15, 2019 to the 116th Congress helps fight for the independence of all people, including the disabled. The Disability Integration Act - orig...
• US Department of Labor to Provide Immediate Grants and Assistance for Hurricane Maria Recovery Efforts
  10/18/2017- As with Hurricanes Irma and Harvey, the US Department of Labor, in cooperation with the territories and local partners, is setting aside funding, making grants to assess workforce needs, and providing...
• The Collaborative on Health Reform and Independent Living (CHRIL) is Seeking Volunteers
  09/19/2018- CHRIL provides disability stakeholders with accurate, current, accessible and actionable information on how recent changes in health policy affect the community living and integration of working-age a...
• ACCES-VR Works to Help Remove Barriers, Enrich Lives for Those Living with Disabilities
  06/22/2018- New York State held its Legislative Disabilities Awareness Day to highlight both the issues and the accomplishments of advocates, families, and individuals with disabilities across New York State. As...
• New York State to Change Way Services for People with Disabilities are Coordinated
  04/18/2018- Families with children with disabilities and adults have some decisions to make in the coming weeks. New York State is replacing the Medicaid Service Coordination Program that has served the OPWDD pop...
• N.J. Schools' Biggest Challenge? Providing Special Education from Home
  04/15/2020- With schools closing across the country due to the outbreak of coronavirus, NJ students with disabilities are stuck at home without the access to aides and specialists who typically interact with them...
• Disability Discrimination Complaints Now Top Race Discrimination
  04/15/2020- For the first time ever, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission claims of disability discrimination topped race discrimination claims in 2019. There are employers who may not be aware of their respon...
• Funds for New Yorkers with Developmental Disabilities May Be Cut
  03/19/2020- A group of the state's largest nonprofit associations representing service providers supporting New Yorkers with intellectual and developmental disabilities claim the state is not only ignoring their...
• Developmental Disabilities Network Journal (DDNJ) to Launch
  03/19/2020- The Developmental Disabilities Network Journal (DDNJ) will be launching soon. DDNJ is an open-source academic journal that publishes scholarship about disability systems and the impact of the Developm...
• As the Holidays Approach, the Latest Wave of ADA Cases Challenge the Absence of Braille Gift Cards (National Law Review)
  11/20/2019- On Thursday, October 24, we learned that a new wave of lawsuits began to flood the dockets of the New York federal courts. These lawsuits are styled as putative class actions on behalf of individuals...
• Registration Announcement for Justice Center Regional Conference
  10/16/2019- Thursday, October 24, 2019 10am to 3pmShirley A. Chisholm State Office Building55 Hanson Place,Brooklyn, NY 11217 The Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs will be conducting...
• The Bureau of Labor Claims Strong Job Gains for the Disability Community
  03/20/2019- A Western New York labor force specialist said that the increase in the national employment-population ratio for persons with disabilities is the case of a rising economic tide lifting all boats. In 2...
• NJ Disability Pride Parade & Celebration
  09/19/2018- The 8th annual New Jersey Disability Pride Parade & Celebration will take place on Friday, October 5th 2018 in Trenton, NJ. Hundreds of people and organizations representing a wide variety of disa...
• Millions in Disability Housing Assistance Headed To States
  09/19/2018- People with disabilities in nearly every state will receive help accessing housing in the community thanks to an infusion of millions in federal dollars. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Devel...
• New York State Department of Environmental Conservation Provides a List of Accessible Recreation Destinations Organized by County
  08/15/2018- The NY agency encourages visitors to contact the DEC's Access Coordinators directly to discuss their individual needs and recreation pursuits with knowledgeable staff. For Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Ro...
• Hamden Connecticut Restaurant Settles ADA Complaint
  07/18/2018- U.S. State Attorney for Connecticut, John H. Durham, announced June 28th that his office has reached settlement agreements with Ibiza Restaurant and Mangos, LLC in Hamden, to resolve allegations that...
• Special Education Students Affected by the Closing of Schools in PR
  06/22/2018- The Puerto Rico Department of Education (PRDE) has announced a new cycle of public school closings, which includes 265 schools, most of which are elementary schools. Some of the factors they indicate...
• Attention Albany Region CDTA Riders!
  04/18/2018- The Yang Tan Institute on Disability and Employment (YTI) at Cornell University, with support from the New York State Developmental Disabilities Planning Council (DDPC) has established the Transit Res...
• Free Professional Training for Employers in Puerto Rico
  03/21/2018- The State Rehabilitation Council of Puerto Rico will provide free training for employers and human resources officers titled: "Work Inclusion: A Good Deal!" This will take place on April 5, 2018; from...
• Rev Up NJ Kicks off Disability Voter Registration Week 2017 in Trenton
  08/16/2017- On July 18th, approximately 50 people gathered at the State House Annex to kick off National Disability Voter Registration Week. The event, hosted by the Alliance Center for Independence (ACI) and REV...
• New York Stores to Improve Access for People with Disabilities Under Deal With the State
  07/19/2017- After a 2015 probe by the NYS Human Rights Commission, more than onehundred stores were found to be inaccessible to people with disabilities. Starting with Manhattan's SoHo neighborhood and eventually...
• Horizon NJ Health to Pay Former Employee $80,000 After Alleged Wrongful Termination
  05/18/2017- New Jersey Attorney General Christopher Porrino announced April 10th that health insurer Horizon NJ Health will pay $80,000 to a former employee after allegations of wrongful termination.  Horizo...
• Housing Accessibility under the Americans with Disability Act and the Fair Housing Act-Free Webinar
  05/18/2017- Wednesday, May 24, 2017  2:00 - 3:30 PM ET This 90 minute session will provide an overview of the 2010 ADA Standards and Fair Housing Act Accessibility Guidelines. It will include a brief discu...
• U.S. Access Board Issues Guidance on the International Symbol of Accessibility
  04/19/2017- The Access Board has released guidance on the International Symbol of Accessibility (ISA) to address questions that have arisen on the use of alternative symbols. Some cities and states have adopted a...
• 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...
• New Technology Helps NJ's Developmentally Disabled Gain Independence
  New Jersey works with a network of nonprofit agencies to connect residents with disabilities with programs, technologies, and other forms of assistance. Assistive or Adaptive technology is a...
• Back to Business after COVID-19: Addressing Disability Accommodation Requests in New York
  05/20/2020- Despite the lack of guidance from the EEOC, the New York City Commission on Human Rights contends that in many cases, a COVID-19 infection would meet the definition of a disability under the New York...
• Warming Up To Employee Temperature Checks: Employer Guidance from the EEOC and NYC
  05/20/2020- In response to COVID-19 concerns, the EEOC clarified that under the Americans with Disabilities Act; employers are allowed to take employees temperatures to determine whether they have a fever. If an...
• Building Code of NYS: Updated Codes Effective May 12, 2020
  05/20/2020- The Building Code of New York State (BCNYS) establishes minimum requirements for building systems using prescriptive and performance-related provisions. It is founded on broad-based principles that ma...
• Free Webinar-ADA National Network Learning Session: Who Let the Dogs (and Miniature Horses) In? Service Animals in Health Care Facilities
  05/20/2020- Thursday, May 28th, 202011:30 AM PDT - 1:00 PM PDT According to the Bureau of Global Public Affairs within the U.S. Department of State, approximately 500,000 service dogs assist people with disabili...
• An Opportunity for NYS Residents! IRT Toolkit
  02/19/2020- Seeking input from youth, educators, staff from community organizations, disability organizations & businesses about a new toolkit designed to improve employment outcomes for youth with disabiliti...
• 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...
• In Emergencies, Few NJ Schools Ready to Protect Children with Disabilities, Report Says
  11/20/2019- The needs of students with disabilities are an afterthought during emergencies in most New Jersey schools, and much more must be done to ensure that schools' crisis and evacuation plans are truly desi...
• When Alcohol Is Involved, the ADA Distinguishes Between ‘Having a Disability' and ‘Disability-related Misconduct'
  10/16/2019- Being under the influence of alcohol at work does not equal a disability, ever. Alcoholism is an ADA-protected disability. Yet the ADA does not require that employers accommodate alcoholics by permitt...
• Register Now: NJ Conference on Disability & Employment
  09/18/2019- Register now for the 2019 New Jersey Conference on Disability & Employment, a half-day event scheduled for October 23, 2019 at Middlesex County College in Edison. Hear from employers, educators, a...
• Free Broadcast-ADA Live! Do You Want a Job or a Career? Reflections on National Disability Employer Awareness Month (NDEAM)
  09/18/2019- Wednesday, October 2nd, 20191:00 PM EDT - 1:30 PM EDT October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM), and the theme for 2019 is "The Right Talent, Right Now." The U.S. Department o...
• NY ABLE Program Helps New Yorkers with Disabilities and Their Families Cover Costs
  08/21/2019- The NY ABLE (Achieving a Better Life Experience) program is a tax-advantaged savings plan administered by the Office of the New York State Comptroller and is designed to help individuals with disabili...
• Obesity Alone Is Not a Disability
  07/17/2019- The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit held that extreme obesity, without evidence of an underlying physiological condition, does not meet the definition of a physical impairment and theref...
• Legislative Disabilities Awareness Day in NY Sees Improvement to Disability Rights
  06/21/2019- The New York State Assembly passed a series of bills on May 29, 2019 to help New Yorkers with disabilities lead full, independent lives by ensuring access to critical resources, expanding disability r...
• Emergency Management Access and Functional Needs Disability Awareness Training in Dutchess County NY
  06/21/2019- Niagara University (NU) Disability Awareness Training has received a grant from the New York State Developmental Disabilities Planning Council to educate anyone involved in emergency planning, prepare...
• William Paterson University first to offer disabilities studies degree in NJ
  05/15/2019- In response to growing demand, William Paterson University is offering the state's first-ever bachelor's degree in disabilities studies. "There was a call for a major. It was sort of a groundswell of...
• Amazon Rolls Out Disability Hiring Initiative
  04/17/2019- On one afternoon shift, Michael Howard logged some 15,000 steps pushing a cart around the aisles of an Amazon Prime Now warehouse, gathering groceries, electronics and countless other items for one- a...
• 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...
• Attn: Albany Region Residents - TRAC (Transit Research & Accessibility Center) is Up and Running!
  01/16/2019- Do you want to know what an accessible bus trip looks like?Would you like to provide feedback on bus access in the Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) region?If so, sign up to watch our s...
• Attn: Albany Region Residents - TRAC (Transit Research & Accessibility Center) is Up and Running!
  01/16/2019- Do you want to know what an accessible bus trip looks like?Would you like to provide feedback on bus access in the Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) region?If so, sign up to watch our s...
• No Vaccine? No Job! Court Affirms Employer's Ability to Condition Employment Upon Vaccinations
  01/16/2019- On December 7, 2018, the U.S. Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals held that an employee who was terminated for refusing to take a rubella vaccine was not discriminated or retaliated against, under the Ame...