01/22/2008
Your stories needed!
The 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act provides protections against disability discrimination in the workplace. A current bill before Congress (H.R. 3195) would dramatically expand the current ADA by changing the definition of disability to include even the most minor impairments, such as poor eyesight correctable by glasses, the flu or a small scar. The bill is inconsistent with the original intent expressed by Congress to protect individuals who are substantially limited by severe disabilities. The bill would trivialize the concept of "disability" and inappropriately divert employer resources from those who need them most.
NFIB believes that current ADA laws and regulations already pose a significant burden on small employers--and expanding coverage to practically everyone will only serve to further confuse and punish well-meaning small-business owners who make every reasonable attempt to accommodate employees with disabilities.
We're trying to determine how much time, money and effort small employers have already spent to comply with current ADA laws and regulations. In order to do that, we need your stories!
Please consider the following questions, and let us know if you have information that would help us. If so, please contact NFIB Legislative Services at legislativeservices@nfib.org or by calling 1-800-552-NFIB.
- Do you currently, or have you ever, employed an individual with a disability? A disability is either a major (being confined to a wheelchair) or minor physical or mental impairment or condition that substantially limits one or more of a person's life activities. For example, individuals who are blind or have a visual impairment, use crutches, a prosthesis, a cane or a walker, are hard of hearing, have diabetes or a heart condition may all be considered under current law to be disabled.
- Did you make any special arrangements or accommodations for the disabled employee(s)? For example, reassigned individual to another position, modified job duties (an employee with a back problem might request additional rest breaks to rest or modified job duties that limit the amount of lifting), provided a flexible leave policy, purchased special equipment, offered additional rest periods or snack/meal periods (an employee with diabetes might require additional meal breaks).
- What was the cost, if any, associated with the accommodations? Please list any accommodations. For example, installed a ramp or widened aisles in the employee work area, bought a magnified computer screen, purchased TDD phone equipment, provided an interpreter or reader, etc.
- In your experience complying with the ADA, should the law be expanded to cover any less-severe impairments?
