Since the Americans with Disabilities Act was enacted, the law has provided millions of Americans with the opportunity to participate fully in our society by:
·Making the workplace more accessible by prohibiting private employers, state and local governments, employment agencies and labor unions from discriminating against qualified individuals with disabilities;
·Providing for reasonable accommodations to those who otherwise would have difficulty on the job because of a disability, such as making existing facilities used by employees readily accessible to and usable by persons with disabilities; and
·Ensuring those with differing abilities have the tools to succeed by requiring employers to make a reasonable accommodation for the known disability of a qualified applicant or employee, such as providing a deaf applicant with a sign language interpreter during the job interview, or allowing an employee with diabetes to take regularly scheduled breaks during the workday to eat properly and monitor blood sugar and insulin levels.
In addition to the 56.7 million Americans living with disabilities, the ADA has also positively impacted the lives of the 232,000 individuals with disabilities who are living with disabilities in Dallas.
“As we mark this anniversary, we recommit ourselves to ensuring that every American has the opportunity to live independently and with dignity,” concluded Congresswoman Johnson. “I am proud of the progress the law has made for Americans with disabilities, and I will continue to work with my colleagues in Congress to advance equality for all Americans and remove obstacles that stand in the way of the American Dream.” - Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson
