The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects people with disabilities from discrimination.
The ADA applies to the government, schools, and most businesses.
Employers must provide reasonable accommodations that break down barriers for employees with disabilities.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal civil rights law. It protects people with disabilities from discrimination in most settings.
The law applies to the government, schools, and employers with 15 or more employees. It also applies to anyone who offers goods and services to the public. This includes restaurants, stores, and even websites.
The ADA is very broad in who it covers. The law protects anyone with a physical or mental condition that “substantially limits one or more major life activities.”
Major life activities include things like seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping, or walking. But there are other activities that fall into this category, including:
Learning
Reading
Concentrating
Thinking
Communicating
Working
Caring for yourself
Interacting with others
A condition doesn’t have to be severe to qualify for protection under the ADA. But it must have a significant impact on a person’s ability to do these activities, compared to most people in society.
Dive deeper
Conditions the ADA covers
The ADA covers a wide range of conditions, including ADHD, dyslexia, food allergies, anxiety, depression, HIV, and diabetes.
The law protects people with disabilities from discrimination even if:
They’re on medication or getting some other kind of help.
They’re doing fine in school or at work.
They had a disability in the past. (This is called “a record of impairment.”)
They’re thought of by others as having a disability. For example, if a manager believes an employee has ADHD, the employee could be protected.
The ADA protects against discrimination. But it also provides another important right. This is the right to reasonable accommodations.
An accommodation is a change that breaks down a barrier for a person with a disability. For example, an employee with dyslexia might need a read-aloud tool added to their email system.
But the law doesn’t require making an accommodation that would be an “undue hardship” to the employer. What counts as “reasonable” depends on the specific situation.
The ADA applies to most employers. The only exceptions are small businesses with fewer than 15 employees.
Employers covered by the ADA can’t discriminate against workers because of a disability. They also can’t ask workers about a disability.
Employees can ask for accommodations at work, like needing frequent breaks because of ADHD. But they have to disclose their disability when they make the request. In most cases, employers must grant it. But there are times when they don’t have to.
The ADA doesn’t guarantee a job. People with disabilities must still be qualified. And they must have the right skills, experience, and education.
The ADA applies to nearly all public and private schools, except for some religious schools. Schools can’t discriminate. And they must offer reasonable accommodations.
But the ADA isn’t the only law that gives rights and protections to students with disabilities. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) covers kids from birth through high school. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act overlaps with IDEA and also applies to college students.
Keep in mind that students will always be covered by whichever law offers the greatest protection.
The ADA for goods and services offered to the public
The ADA applies to anyone who offers goods and services to the public. The law says that people with disabilities can’t be segregated or excluded. And they can’t be treated unequally.
The ADA has many specific rules for different categories of goods and services. For example, restaurants must make some doors and tables accessible to people in wheelchairs.
Anyone offering goods and services must also make reasonable accommodations. But that varies by situation. Let’s say a child with ADHD wants to go to a privately owned kids’ camp. Dispensing ADHD medication twice a day might be reasonable. But giving the child their own separate cabin might not be.
What to do if an organization isn’t following the ADA
The ADA protects people with disabilities from discrimination in most settings. But there are areas the ADA doesn’t reach, like someone’s home or other private settings. Private clubs and religious organizations are also exempt.
If you think a school, employer, or business isn’t following the ADA, you can file a complaint with a federal agency. There’s an ADA hotline to help you find out who to contact. The toll-free number is 800-514-0301 (voice) and 1-833-610-1264 (TTY).
