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Laws and Statutes
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination
on the basis of disability in employment, State and local government,
public accommodations, commercial facilities, transportation, and telecommunications.
It also applies to the United States Congress.
The Rehabilitation Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability
in programs conducted by Federal agencies, in programs receiving Federal
financial assistance, in Federal employment, and in the employment practices of
Federal contractors. The standards for determining employment discrimination
under the Rehabilitation Act are the same as those used in title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
- Section 501 requires affirmative action and nondiscrimination
in employment by Federal agencies of the executive branch.
To obtain more information or to file a complaint, employees
should contact their agency's Equal Employment Opportunity
Office.
- Section 504 states that "no qualified individual with
a disability in the United States shall be excluded from,
denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination
under" any program or activity that either receives
Federal financial assistance or is conducted by any Executive
agency or the United States Postal Service.
Each Federal agency has its own set of section 504 regulations
that apply to its own programs. Agencies that provide Federal
financial assistance also have section 504 regulations covering
entities that receive Federal aid. Requirements common to
these regulations include reasonable accommodation for employees
with disabilities; program accessibility; effective communication
with people who have hearing or vision disabilities; and
accessible new construction and alterations. Each agency
is responsible for enforcing its own regulations. Section
504 may also be enforced through private lawsuits. It is
not necessary to file a complaint with a Federal agency or
to receive a "right-to-sue" letter before going
to court.Do not assume they need your help. If you'd like to offer assistance,
ask first, then ask them how you can best assist them.
- Section 508 establishes requirements for electronic and information
technology developed, maintained, procured, or used by the
Federal government. Section 508 requires Federal electronic
and information technology to be accessible to people with
disabilities, including employees and members of the public.
An accessible information technology system is one that can
be operated in a variety of ways and does not rely on a single
sense or ability of the user. For example, a system that
provides output only in visual format may not be accessible
to people with visual impairments and a system that provides
output only in audio format may not be accessible to people
who are deaf or hard of hearing. Some individuals with disabilities
may need accessibility-related software or peripheral devices
in order to use systems that comply with Section 508.
The Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) requires that buildings
and facilities that are designed, constructed, or altered with
Federal funds, or leased by a Federal agency, comply with Federal
standards for physical accessibility. ABA requirements are limited
to architectural standards in new and altered buildings and in
newly leased facilities. They do not address the activities conducted
in those buildings and facilities. Facilities of the U.S. Postal
Service are covered by the ABA.
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