The ADA helps protect roughly 54 million people with disabilities, including people living with MS. The ADA prohibits discrimination in employment, transportation, public accommodations, telecommunications, and government agencies and facilities. See how the 20th Anniversary will be celebrated and learn how the ADA affects people with MS.
With the creation of the ADA, employers were prohibited from discriminating against someone with disabilities before or after they are hired. Employers must evaluate all applicants fairly for the job and cannot refuse a qualified person because of a disability or association with disabilities. The ADA prohibits employment discrimination for private employers with at least 15 employees, state government employers of any size, local government employers of any size, and federal government employers.
Not only does the ADA protect people with disabilities from being discriminated against, it also requires that employers make reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities so that they can perform their job functions. These accommodations might include being flexible with work hours, providing necessary parking, allowing temporary leave for treatment, providing interpreters, and making facilities accessible.
The ADA also requires that public services and facilities be equally available to everyone. Public accommodations or programs cannot discriminate against people with disabilities. Movie theaters, hotels, museums, and libraries are just a few examples of facilities in which services must be made available to people with disabilities. Transportation services are required to accommodate people with disabilities under the ADA along with carriers connected with interstate communications.
When this civil rights law was first created, changes were not immediate due to the costs associated with transitioning. Since its enactment in 1990, the ADA has expanded its requirements in order to expand accessibility. Over the last 20th years, progress has been achieved in creating equal opportunity for people with disabilities.
In celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the ADA signing, the National MS Society will be engaging in events and activities nationally in order to continue for the expansion of the ADA. Locally, we have joined with Disability Rights North Carolina, to commemorate the ADA by securing sponsorship of a legislative resolution The Resolution will be introduced in the upcoming week. In addition to commemorating the ADA, the Resolution also honors the lives of past disability advocates from NC.
Please send the National MS Society statements, pictures and video clips explaining what the ADA means to you for a chance to be in our upcoming ADA Resolution Video! Please send statements, pictures, or video footage to nmss.publicpolicyintern@gmail.com. For more information about the ADA, click here.
