Testing Accommodations and Pre-Employment Exams
Posted on July 20, 2010
By: Sara Furguson
How has the ADA equalized employment prospects for those with varying levels of disability?
The Americans with Disabilities Act has brought epic change to the rights of people with disabilities in achieving testing accommodations. While it is common to hear of testing accommodations in education and standardized testing, the ability to have accommodations for pre-employment exams is also lawful under the ADA. Accordingly, the language of the ADA states that “appropriate adjustment or modifications of examinations” is a form of accommodation that disabled applicants may request. www.ada.gov Further, there are certain restrictions on pre-employment tests that shield applicants with disabilities. Read more
Filed Under Accessibility, Advocacy, Americans with Disabilities Act, Assistive Technology, Attitudes, Employment, Independence, Sara Furguson | Leave a Comment
How Much Disability or Medical Leave Are You Entitled To?
Posted on April 9, 2010
By: Sara Furguson
As expected, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) grants unpaid leave as a reasonable accommodation to workers with a disability. In some cases, leave on a short term, long term, or even hourly basis, will be the only effectual accommodation. While we generally think of the ADA as applicable in disability cases, the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA) overlaps with some provisions of the ADA and may provide additional leave. This statute does not specifically cover people with disabilities, but extends coverage to those with serious health conditions. Read more
Filed Under Advocacy, Americans with Disabilities Act, Employment, Independence, Sara Furguson | 1 Comment
Assistive Technology as a Reasonable Accommodation
Posted on February 22, 2010
By: Sara Furguson
The most commonly requested accommodation in the workplace is assistive technology such as adapted computers, hearing aids, wheelchair ramps, speech communication devices, Braille note taking computers, etc. In general, requests for assistive technology are seen as reasonable if no undue burden is involved. This means that unless an accommodation would incur unreasonably large expenses, an employer must make an effort to meet the needs of an employee with a disability.
Since 1990, assistive technology (AT) has improved opportunities for successful implementation of the ADA’s equal employment provisions. Unfortunately, employers may decide to not hire a disabled applicant simply because they lack knowledge about the use of assistive technology. Read more
Filed Under Accessibility, Advocacy, Assistive Technology, Attitudes, Computers, Independence, Independent Living, Sara Furguson, Technology | Leave a Comment
What is the True Meaning of Reasonable Accommodation?
Posted on October 6, 2009
By: Sara Furguson
As most of you probably know, the Americans with Disabilities Act granted a number of protections to those with disabilities. Under Title I of the Act, applicants and employees with disabilities receive protection from the unjust employment discrimination that has been forever present in our society. Among these employment protections is the requirement for employers to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants and employees with disabilities. While there are many provisions to the statute, there are key points that I will address in an attempt to clarify this sometimes complex law. Read more
Filed Under Advocacy, Americans with Disabilities Act, Employment, Sara Furguson | 1 Comment
How Do the ADA Amendments Affect You?
Posted on September 10, 2009
By: Sara Furguson
With the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, many are left wondering how the new legislation actually changes the 1990 law against discrimination. Regardless, everyone has a different opinion about the amendments; some favor the new Act and regulations while others do not. Most disability rights advocates agree however, that the amendments restore the original intent of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which some have abandoned over the years.
Under the new amendments, the courts cannot interpret the meaning of disability narrowly as done in some previous cases. With original ADA intent restored, more disabled individuals are protected from disability discrimination than previously covered by the ADA. Some of these disabilities include forms of epilepsy and other conditions controlled by medication, minor intellectual disabilities, vision impairments that require more than contact lenses and eye glasses, hepatitis (with sufficient liver function), diabetes, hypertension, long term effects of brain damage, and individuals in cancer remission. For years, activists have fought for the ADA to be returned to its original intent and are overjoyed with passage of the ADA amendments. Read more
Filed Under Advocacy, Americans with Disabilities Act, Attitudes, Police/Law Enforcement, Sara Furguson, Voting | 4 Comments
Defying Injustice for All
Posted on August 31, 2009
By now, I’m sure you have noticed that I’m one of CDR’s new bloggers. While I’m not one to openly express my personal life, I believe that it will help you, as a reader, understand the perspective of my future blogs.
At age three I had a spinal cord injury. My sister, brother, Mother, and I were struck head-on by another vehicle. With the inability to move and breath, I now had to embark on an unfamiliar life-long journey. This began what I now view as my opportunity to bring change for those with disabilities and diminish the never ending battle for equality. Instead of feeling distraught and incapable, I have conquered the discrimination that effects every day of my life. My disability has not been a prohibition, but rather, an experience that has made me a better person. Read more
Filed Under Advocacy, Attitudes, Employment, Independence, Sara Furguson, Technology | Leave a Comment
Employers Desire Talent of People with Disabilities
Posted on August 10, 2009
by Sara Furguson, Advocacy Department
With the unemployment rate growing, the disabled community is experiencing ever-growing discrimination in the workforce. Only 20% of disabled individuals are active participants in the labor force, which is drastically lower than the 70% of non-disabled Americans who hold some type of employment. While the Americans with Disabilities Act has improved employment outcomes, significant change must still come.
Recent data from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission finds growth in the number of complaints filed by individuals with disabilities, with most stemming from wrongful termination, failure to make reasonable accommodation, and denial of employment. More specifically, in 2008 the EEOC received 19,453 charges of discrimination based on disability, up nearly 4,000 from the previous year. I’m sure it’s no surprise to hear that a greater number of disabled individuals are now filing complaints with the EEOC, but why is discrimination increasing at such a fast rate? Read more
Filed Under Accessibility, Advocacy, Americans with Disabilities Act, Attitudes, Employment, Sara Furguson | 2 Comments