The Americans With Disabilities Act

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"The Americans With Disabilities Act is one of the most significant laws in American History. The preamble to the law states that it covers 43,000,000 Americans."(Frierson, p.3) Before the Americans With Disabilities Act(A.D.A.) was passed, employers were able to deny employment to a disabled worker, simply because he or she was disabled. With no other reason other than the persons physical disability were they turned away or released from a job. The Americans With Disabilities Act prevented this type of discrimination by establishing rules and regulations designed to protect persons with physical disabilities. With a workforce made up of 43,000,000 people, it is impossible to ignore the impact of these people. The Americans With Disabilities Act not only opened the door for millions of Americans to get back into the workplace, it is paving the road for new facilities in the workplace, new training programs and creating jobs designed for a disabled society.

I believe the Americans With Disabilities Act is the most important precedent set in the struggle against all discrimination for persons with disability. In this paper I will give a brief description of the statutes set by the Americans With Disabilities Act, pertaining to disabilities in the workplace. I will then discuss what employers are required to do according to the A.D.A. and some of the regulations they must abide by. The next section of this paper will discuss the actual training of employees with disabilities with a highlight on training programs for workers with mobility and motion disabilities. The following section of this paper will discuss the economic effects of a vocational rehabilitation program. Finally this paper will conclude with a brief discussion of what the measures set by the Americans With Disabilities Act means to the actual workers and people it benefits.

The Americans With Disabilities Act

The Americans With Disabilities Act has a section devoted to nothing but practices by employers regarding the treatment of applicants and on staff workers based on their physical condition or any health problems they may have.

Some of the disabilities included are vision, hearing, motion, or mental impairments. "Title I of the Americans With Disabilities Act prohibits employers from discriminating against qualified individuals with disabilities in job application procedures, hi...

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...ersons with disabilities to function as a productive member of society. Or what is thought to be a productive member, in that this person can be completely independent both in the home and in the workplace.

Technology, persistence, and understanding makes it all happen. Now go back and look at the person who had a disability take control of his or her life. That person is no longer, hiding in the shadows, he is out, proudly contributing and living his life to the best of his ability. Also this person can support himself with a regular paycheck, not a government aid or the help of family and friends. This aspect in particular is of extreme importance to many disabled Americans. The ability to survive on their own, not having to be dependent on someone or some group to provide food, clothing or shelter, isn't that what we all want anyway? That is why the Americans With Disabilities Act is the most important precedent set in the struggle to end all discrimination against disabled people. Although there will always be some discrimination and prejudice against all groups in society, at least now one of those groups has the opportunity to prove themselves in an unforgiving society.

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