Congress has passed some encouraging legislation expanding  The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and better protecting for disabled Americans.
On Sept. 11, (of all days) the Senate amended the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to redefine the term “disability”.  My interpretation of the goal of the amendment is to further deter employers from discrimination against qualified job candidates because of their disability.
Before the amendment the ADA required employers to make accommodations for disabled employees. However since 1990 several court decisions narrowed the qualifications which watered down the ADA making some disabled not eligible for protection under the ADA.
This Amendment to the ADA defines a disability as “a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.” This amendment is target at helping those Americans with leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma because it covers bodily functions impacted by treatment of a condition.
An example would be someone suffering from cancer is they are likely suffering from conditions related to treatment, like fatigue and discomfort. In these instances one would receive disability coverage under this new legislation.  In addition to this it gave workers the right to sue their employer if they believe they are mistreated.
To get the full story click here
To learn all about the ADA click here
If you feel you are being or have been discriminated against stay tuned in this blog for tips and resources to help you get the treatment your deserve ..
Regards
Brian Therrien
