Understanding the ADA

Learn the basics of the Americans with Disabilities Act and your rights

10 articles

ADA vs. FMLA vs. Workers' Comp: What's the Difference?

When you're dealing with a health condition or disability at work, multiple laws may apply to your situation.

5 min read

The Deficit-Focused Mindset: Reframing How You Think About Disability

Many disabled employees and employees with disabilities carry an invisible burden: a deeply internalized belief that their disability makes them less than.

6 min read

Thinking About Accommodations Through Work Tasks

When disabled employees and employees with disabilities think about accommodations, they often start from their limitations: "What's wrong with me, and how...

5 min read

Understanding Limitations: Neutral Facts, Not Judgments

When we talk about workplace accommodations, we talk about limitations.

5 min read

What Are 'Major Life Activities' Under the ADA?

To qualify for protection under the ADA, your condition must substantially limit one or more 'major life activities.' This phrase sounds technical, but it...

5 min read

What Is a Reasonable Accommodation?

A reasonable accommodation is any change to a job, work environment, or the way things are usually done that enables a qualified individual with a...

5 min read

What Is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities.

5 min read

What Is 'Undue Hardship' and When Can Employers Claim It?

Undue hardship is the primary legal defense employers have for denying a reasonable accommodation request.

5 min read

Which Employers Must Follow the ADA?

Not every employer is required to follow the ADA.

5 min read

Who Qualifies as Having a 'Disability' Under the ADA?

One of the most common questions people have when considering workplace accommodations is whether their condition qualifies as a disability under the ADA.

6 min read

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ernesty provides general information and tools to help you understand and organize your situation. It is not legal advice, and it is not a substitute for advice from a licensed attorney about your specific circumstances.