Understanding the ADA

Release Date: February 2009

The A.D.A. Amendments Act (A.D.A.A.A.) was signed into law in 2008 and is now in effect! The Americans with Disabilities Act now has been clarified and significantly expanded. As a result, many more people will fall under the coverage of this important law. This is good news to many people, but it raises some concerns for supervisors and managers. This program will cover the fundamentals of the original A.D.A. and explain the changes that are now in effect because of the new Act. Managers and supervisors will get answers to the following:

• Who is covered under the new A.D.A.A.A.?
• How has the definition of "disability" been clarified?
• What are "major life activities"?
• How are the needed "reasonable accommodations" determined?
• How should disabilities be handled during job interviews?
• What are "essential functions" in a job description?