Small Business Employees and The Americans With Disabilities Act

Federal and many individual state laws prohibit the discrimination against persons with disabilities in private employment, state and local government, the United States Congress, public accommodations, commercial facilities including restaurants, transportation, and telecommunications.

Disability laws generally fall under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) which is sometimes referred to as “The Act” but there are also other laws that protect disabled persons.

There are many complicated laws governing the hiring, training, and firing of disabled employees. There are even laws that instruct employers what, if any, reasonable accommodations must be made in the work place for a worker who is disabled.

While you may not be exempt from being sued by a disabled worker (or, for not hiring someone who is disabled) the federal ADA only applies to businesses with 15 or more employees.