Happy 23rd Anniversary to the Americans with Disabilities Act!
July 26, 2013 / ADA
On July 26, 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed into law the Americans with Disabilities Act, the first civil rights legislation of its kind in the world. The law gives civil rights protections to people with disabilities and guarantees equal opportunities in public accommodations, employment, transportation, state and local government services and telecommunications.
Disability Connection, the newsletter of Disability.gov, lists 10 Things You Need to Know About the ADA, including #4:
Filing a Complaint. ADA enforcement is a complaint driven process. Many people are surprised to learn that government officials do not make visits to employers, state and local agencies or businesses to see if they are ADA compliant. However, once someone has filed a formal complaint, various government agencies are responsible for conducting an investigation and taking legal action, if appropriate. If you feel that you have been discriminated against because of your disability, the following resources may be helpful:
- Get answers to questions about the ADA by calling the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) toll-free ADA Information Line at 800-514-0301 (TTY: 800-514-0383).
- Visit the National Disability Rights Network website to learn about legal assistance in your state, which is offered by federally-mandated Protection and Advocacy Systems and Client Assistance Programs.
- File a complaint with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development if you feel you are the victim of housing discrimination.
- Find out how to file a charge of employment discrimination with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
- Disability Rights Ohio is Ohio's federally mandated Protection and Advocacy organization and Client Assistance Program. We're here to help protect your rights. If you need our help, call us at 614-466-7264 or 1-800-282-9181 (toll-free in Ohio only) or TTY: 614-728-2553 or 1-800-858-3542 (toll-free in Ohio only) between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.