The Americans Disabilities Act or ADA is a law that prohibits discrimination against people living with disabilities. The ADA applies to public accommodations and commercial facilities, as well as private employers, employment agencies, federal agencies, and more.

The Americans with Disabilities Act protects people with all types of disabilities. That includes physical and sensory disabilities, such as hearing loss, visual disability, seizure disorder, learning disability, mobility impairment, intellectual disability, and physical disability.

Because of this, many business owners ensure they follow ADA compliance requirements to ensure that their property is inclusive and meets the act’s standards.

The Different Titles of the Americans with Disabilities Act

• Title I: Prohibits private employers, state and local governments, employment agencies, and labor unions from discriminating against qualified individuals with disabilities in job application procedures, hiring, firing, advancement, compensation, job training, and other terms and conditions of employment. Prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities in state and local government services, public accommodations, transportation, telecommunications, and cable television. Establishes standards for the equality of opportunity for individuals with disabilities in the sale of goods and services.
• Title II: Prohibits public entities from discriminating against people with disabilities in services, programs, and activities. Requires that public entities make reasonable modifications in policies, practices, and procedures when the modifications are necessary to avoid discrimination. Requires that public entities give individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to participate in services, programs, and activities.
• Title III: Requires that new construction and alterations in existing facilities of public accommodations and commercial facilities be accessible. Establishes the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board to enforce the requirements. This is why ADA compliance is extremely important on public property.
• Title IV: Establishes standards for the accessibility of Web sites of public entities. This also includes telecommunications, where it is required to have closed captioning added.

As a Business Owner, What Should I Do?

• Provide Reasonable Accommodations: Employers are required to provide reasonable accommodations to employees and applicants with disabilities to enable them to apply for jobs and perform the jobs for which they are hired. The term “reasonable accommodations” is broadly defined to include the acquisition or modification of equipment or devices, the provision of auxiliary aids and services, and the restructuring of job functions.
• Request a Medical Exam: Employers are allowed to require applicants to have a medical exam if it is job-related and consistent with business necessity.
• ADA Compliance: ADA Compliance is important, as the ADA is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability. The ADA requires public and private entities, regardless of size, to maintain accessible facilities and to provide reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities.

The Bottom Line: It’s Crucial to Ensure That Your Business is Compliant with ADA Requirements

In the U.S., the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines a person with a disability as someone with a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. This includes individuals who have a record of such an impairment, even if they do not currently have a disability.

For this reason, it’s important to be aware of ADA compliance requirements to ensure that your property and business are inclusive to everyone.

How Can All Things Inspector Help You?

For those in the inspection industry, we’ve got what you need.

We carry specialty tools, including fire door inspections, door pressure gauges, door gap gauges, ADA knee, and toe clearance templates. Not to mention, we also have a custom line of ADA site survey equipment to check for ADA knee clearance and ADA compliance.

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