Complying With the Americans with Disabilities Act

Dear Madam, The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a civil right under the Federal government that affects people with disabilities by protecting them from unfair treatment.

ADA Amendment 2008 requires the Department of Justice, as well as other Federal agencies, to offer technical support to people and institutions with rights or duties under the legislation. The law asserts that those entities that are covered shall not discriminate against qualified Americans with disabilities (Stan et al. 2002). ADA recognizes that people with disabilities deserve and require equal access to transit, employment, restaurants, and other businesses to be a part of the community (Stan et al. 2002).

Potential “barriers” to the integration of people with disabilities that might require review include inflexible working schedules, staircase and door access to offices, and lack of responsiveness to requests for proper accommodation. In particular, ADA describes a barrier as anything that restricts the access to a premise including narrow parking, doorknobs, entrance steps, narrow aisle, and fixed tables in places of eating (Stan et al. 2002). The other areas that require review can be handled on a case-to-case basis such as in the use of specialized computers. Regarding employment, employers are barred from requiring any pre-employment inquiry about disability before making the offer (Stan et al. 2002). Compliance in the area mentioned above can include restructuring jobs, modifying schedules, providing interpreters and readers or even reassigning a current worker to a vacant position.

Overall, to ensure compliance, the business will require an all-inclusive review of its policies to align with the basics of the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendment 2008. Proper compliance might save the company the risk of punitive legal suits.

Sincerely,

[Student’s name]                   

Reference

Shaw, S.F., Keenan, W.R., Madaus J.W., & Banerjee, M. (2010). Disability documentation, the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act, and the summary of performance: how are they linked? Journal of Postsecondary Education and Disability, 22(3), 142-149.