By Matthew Marks on August 11th, 2015 in In The News
Earlier this year New York hosted its inaugural disability pride parade, which included a crowd of thousands that rolled, rode and walked down Broadway from Madison Square Park to Union Square, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report. The event marked the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). While the crowd that gathered paled in comparison to other group-specific parades, the event publicly celebrated an often-forgotten sector of society.
Disability pride parades have been held in other cities, including Chicago and Philadelphia. According to the advocacy group Center for Independence of the Disabled, about 800,000 New Yorkers are disabled. Unfortunately, individuals within the disabled community struggle with issues relating to employment, housing, discrimination and accessibility. If you or someone you know has been discriminated against due to a disability, contact the most experienced discrimination lawyers NYC has to offer.
The ADA Explained
The Americans with Disabilities Act is a federal law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in several areas including employment, transportation, public accommodation, governmental activities and communications. Additionally, the ADA has specific requirements for telecommunications relay services.
Four federal agencies are responsible for enforcing the law under the ADA. These include:
● The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, which enforces regulations specific to employment;
● The Department of Transportation, which enforces regulations regarding transit;
● The Federal Communications Commission, which enforces requirements relating to telecommunications services; and
● The Department of Justice, which enforces laws governing state and local government services as well as public accommodations.
The Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy provides technical assistance and publications relating to the basic requirements under the ADA. Likewise, the Architectural & Transportation Barriers Compliance Board issues guidelines to ensure accessibility for the disabled regarding facilities, buildings, and transit vehicles.
Workplace Discrimination
The ADA prohibits discrimination when it relates to any aspect of employment including firing, hiring, job assignments, pay, training, layoffs, promotions, fringe benefits, in addition to any other term of employment.
Furthermore, the law requires an employer provide a reasonable accommodation, unless doing so would cause an “undue hardship” (significant difficulty or expense), to an employee or job applicant. A reasonable accommodation is defined as any change in the work environment to assist an individual with a disability apply for employment, perform the duties of a position, or avail themselves of the benefits and privileges of that employment.
Discrimination Lawyers NYC
The law governing protections for individuals with disabilities can be complicated. For this reason, it is important to retain skilled and knowledgeable discrimination lawyers NYC can provide for you or someone you know who has been discriminated against due to a disability. Cities are making strides to be more inclusive of all people, including those with disabilities. However, disabled Americans still face significant hurdles when striving to lead more normalized lives. Partner with one of the most experienced discrimination lawyers NYC has to offer at White Ricotta & Marks P.C. Contact us for an initial, free case evaluation by calling (347) 464-8694 today.