Dan, While I am not thrilled with the dilution of what constitutes a disability in the new ADA, I don't see how the new ADA would be the death of the old ADA.
A key component of the ADA, both old and new, is REASONABLE accommodation. The majority of reasonable accommodations involve minimal or no cost, and expensive accommodations are often financed through tax deductibility or state Vocational Rehabilitation programs. Also, the disabled employee must still meet all the requirements for the job, i.e. skills, education, experience, etc. The newly included disabilities, perhaps considered marginal by those with severe disabilities like quadriplegia, should require no more reasonable accommodations than those with severe disabilities, likely less. I am only addressing employment and reasonable accommodation. There may be other perceived or real negative ramifications regarding the new ADA that I am not aware of and/or have not considered. Steve - C4, 21 years -----Original Message----- From: Dan [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Tuesday, September 22, 2009 6:44 PM To: Quad List Subject: [QUAD-L] ADA What is going on with the ADA? Am I the only one that thinks the new ADA is going to be the END of the ADA? According to the new rules, everything is considered a disability. I mean really, ADHD, wearing eyeglasses, nervousness, overweight, underweight, too tall, too short, acne. It seems like there is nothing that is not a disability. I would hate to be an employer today. 95% of my staff would be wanting an accommodation for their quote unquote disability. With all of these disabilities floating around, how in the world can they all be enforced. And if they are, life as we know it would come to a standstill. Sometimes I think this was some sort of an evil plot to do away with the ADA. Could someone please tell me how or why this happened? This law will never be undone, because it is sacrosanct. Can you imagine someone saying they want to limit the requirements of the ADA. What do you guys think? Dan
