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Americans with Disability Act (ADA)

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) prohibits private employers, state and local governments, employment agencies and labor unions from discriminating against qualified individuals with disabilities in job application procedures, hiring, firing, advancement, compensation, job training and other terms, conditions and privileges of employment.  The ADA covers employers with 15 or more employees, including state and local governments.  It also applies to employment agencies and to labor organizations.  The ADA’s nondiscrimination standards also apply to federal sector employees under section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act, as amended, and its implementing rules.

An individual with a disability is defined as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, has a record of such an impairment or is regarded as having such an impairment.  A qualified employee or applicant with a disability is an individual who, with or without reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of the job in question.  Reasonable accommodation may include, but is not limited to:  making existing facilities used by employees readily accessible to and usable by persons with disabilities; job restructuring; modifying work schedules; reassignment to a vacant position; acquiring or modifying equipment or devices; adjusting or modifying examinations, training materials or policies; and, providing qualified readers or interpreters.

An employer is required to make a reasonable accommodation to the known disability of a qualified applicant or employee if it would not impose an “undue hardship” on the operation of the employer’s business.  Undue hardship is defined as an action requiring significant difficulty or expense when considered in light of factors such as an employer’s size, financial resources and the nature and structure of its operation.  An employer is not required to lower quality or production standards to make an accommodation.  Also, an employer obligated to provide personal use items such as glasses or hearing aids.

A claim under the ADA must be asserted against the employer within 180 days of the unlawful employment action and must first be filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or, if the claim pertains to an employer located in the State of Tennessee, the Tennessee Human Rights Commission (THRC).

Notably, the ADA makes it unlawful for an employer to retaliate against an individual for opposing employment practices that discriminate based on disability or for filing a discrimination charge, testifying, or participating in any way in an investigation, proceeding or lawsuit under the ADA.

If you or someone you know in the North Mississippi/West Tennessee area is in need of representation or legal advice from an experienced employment lawyer, contact the attorneys of Stroud & Harper, P.C., by making a toll-free call to (866) 359-4878. Or, if you prefer, complete the Free Online Case Evaluation form, which you can find on the Areas of Practice page.