ADA Title I, II, and Title III

1. ADA Title I, II, and Title III Employment and Accessibility J.J. Rico, Managing Attorney 520-327-9547, ext 331

2. Who Is A Qualified Individual With A Disability • Disability under the ADA means a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities • QID: To be protected by the ADA, a person must be able to prove s/he is a qualified individual with a disability. • Disability: The term "disability" has a special meaning under the ADA.

3. ADA Amendment Act- Scope of Definition & Substantially Limits • No changes to definition but changes on how to interpret definition. • Now there is less demanding standard to cover broad range of individuals

4. Substantial limitation Look to three factors: • the nature and severity of the impairment; • how long the impairment will last or is expected to last; and • the permanent or long term impact or expected impact of the impairment • Means that an individual is unable to perform, or is significantly limited in the ability to perform, an activity compared to an average person in the general population

5. ADA Amendment Act – Substantial Limitation • ADAAA rejects the Supreme Court’s decision in Toyota v. Williams interpretation of substantially limits • Rejects that an impairment “substantially limits” a major life activity” if it “prevents or severely restricts the individual” from performing the activity

6. Other major life activities • Walking • Running • Seeing • Hearing • Thinking • Speaking • Breathing • Eating • Lifting, Bending, Stooping

7. Major Bodily Functions • Functions of the immune system • Digestive • Bowel • Circulatory • Neurological • Brain

8. OLD Mitigating Measures Rule: • Effect of Medication and Corrective Devices on Disability Determination • Sometimes, medication, corrective devices, such as eye glasses and hearing aids, may actually fully correct a medical condition or impairment.

9. NEW Mitigating Measure Rule • The determination of whether an impairment substantially limits a major life activity shall be made without regard to the ameliorative effects of mitigation measures such as – • Medication , medical supplies…prosthetics…hearing aids…assistive technology… • Exception is ordinary eye glasses and contact lenses that fully correct visual acuity…

10. Four ways a Person Without a Disability is Protected by the ADA: • A qualified individual who has a record of a disability or substantially limiting impairment. (An impairment that is episodic or in remission is a disability if it substantially limits a major life activity when active) • A qualified individual who is regarded as having such an impairment. (Applies if subjected to an action prohibited by Act) • An individual who has a known relationship or association with an individual with a disability. • An individual who has opposed a discriminatory practice. Retaliation.

11. ADA Amendment Act – Regarded As Having a Disability • The ADAA provides that an individual can establish coverage under the “regarded as” prong by showing that he or she was subjected to an action prohibited by the ADA.

12. Who is a Covered Employer • Employer must have at least 15 or more employees • Includes a location or facility of a business with less than 15 employees whose total number of employees for the company in all locations and facilities combined equals 15 or more. • Other laws may apply to persons with disabilities who are employed by smaller businesses.

13. The ADA also applies to state and local governments. • Includes all state and local governmental agencies, departments and entities regardless of their size or number of employees. • Examples of state and local employers include: public schools, public universities, police and fire departments, public libraries, museums, public parks and recreation facilities, and social welfare offices.

14. Federal Government Not Covered by the ADA • Federal employers are covered by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. However, the protections available under the ADA are also available under the Rehabilitation Act. The main difference between these two laws are the administrative procedures that an employee or applicant must exhaust to later be able to file a lawsuit.

15. Being Qualified Under the ADASkills, Experience and Education • A person with a disability must meet the minimum job qualifications for the job. Job qualifications include but are not limited to the skill, experience, education, medical, safety, physical and other requirements a covered employer sets as requirements for a job.

16. Qualifications: • Must not screen or tend to screen out people with disabilities be job-related • Must be job-related • Must be a business necessity • Performance can not be accomplished by a reasonable accommodation • Essential v Marginal Job Functions

17. Essential job functions Factors to consider: • written job descriptions before the position was advertised for; • employer’s opinion; • duties other people in the same position perform; • duties other people performed who held the same position • duties of past employees in similar positions • terms of a collective bargaining agreement • Essential v. marginal • Essential functions are important and necessary job duties • Must be able to perform these duties • Qualified whether need an accommodation or not

18. ADA Statutory Provision • Discrimination includes an employer’s failure to make reasonable accommodations to the known physical or mental limitations of an otherwise qualified employee or applicant, unless the employer can demonstrate that the accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the operation of its business. 42 U.S.C. § 12112(b)(5)(A).

19. Reasonable Accommodations • Appropriate adjustment or modification of examinations, training materials or policies; • The provisions of qualified interpreters and readers; and • Reassignment to a vacant position; and • Any other similar accommodations for people with disabilities. • Includes making facilities accessible and usable by individuals with disabilities; • Job restructuring; • Part-time or modified work schedules; • Acquisition or modification of equipment or devices;

20. When can disability related questions be asked? • Yes – After job offer extended but before you actually begin work OR • Yes – After first day of work BUT ONLY IF job related and consistent with business necessity • NO- If not for reasons above OR anytime before job offer extended

21. Keeping Medical Information Confidential • The ADA requires employers to keep protected medical records confidential with a few limited exceptions for disclosure.

22. When disclosure of a disability may be appropriate ? • Supervisors who need to know because the medical information relates to job assignments or accommodations. • Safety personnel if the disability or med condition may require emergency treatment.

23. Enforcement File a complaint of discrimination with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, Civil Rights Division under the state’s Arizonans With Disabilities Act (AzDA), by calling: (602) 542-5263 or TDD: (602) 542-5002 in Phoenix, -or- (520) 628-6500 or TDD: (520) 628-6872 in Tucson. * Complaints must be filed within 180 days from the date of the discrimination.

24. Enforcement File a complaint of discrimination with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) An individual may start the process by going to the EEOC office or calling the office. Its address and telephone number are: (602) 640-5000 (Voice) (602) 640-5072 (TTY) (800) 669-4000 (voice for people living outside Phoenix) (800) 877-8339 (TTY for people living outside Phoenix) * Complaints must be filed within 300 days from the date of the discrimination.

25. Title II and III of the ADA? Individual with a disability • Actual disability • History of a substantially limiting impairment • Regarded as having a substantially limiting impairment Qualified: depends upon whether there are qualifications for participation in the place of public accommodation.

26. Title II applies to “public entities” • Any state or local government; • Any department, agency, special purpose district, or other instrumentality of a State or States or local government; and • The National Railroad Passenger Corporation and any commuter authority. • 42 U.S.C. § 12131

27. Examples of covered programs (Title II) • State legislatures • State courts • Town meetings • Police and fire departments • Motor vehicle licensing • Libraries and parks

28. Title III applies to. . . • Places of public accommodations, • Commercial facilities, and • Private entities that offer examinations or courses related to applications, licensing, certification or credentialing for secondary or post secondary education, professional or trade purposes.

29. Places of Public Accommodation • an auditorium, convention center, lecture hall, or other place of public gathering, • a bakery, grocery store, clothing store, hardware store, shopping or other sales or rental establishment • an inn, hotel, motel or other place of lodging • a restaurant, bar or other place serving food or drink • a motion picture house, theater, concert hall, stadium or other place of exhibition or entertainment

30. Exempted from coverage under Title III of the ADA • Private clubs • Private homes • Mixed use residential facilities • Religious entities

31. When a Private Club is a covered entity under Title III • To the extent that the facilities are made available to customers or patrons of a place of public accommodation. 42 U.S.C. § 12187

32. Overview of Requirements • May not refuse to allow a person with a disability to participate in a program, service or activity; • Must provide services in an integrated setting, unless separate program is necessary to ensure equal opportunity; • Must eliminate eligibility criteria that screen out or tends to screen out persons with disabilities.

33. Requirements… • Must make reasonable modifications in policies, practices and procedures to ensure equal access; • Must provide “effective communication,” and auxiliary aids and services when required to ensure effective communication.

34. Examples of Auxiliary Aids and Services • Qualified Interpreters; • Assistive Listening Devices; • Captioning; • TDD/TTY and Relay • Alternative formats, i.e. taped text; • Brailled materials

35. Additional Requirements • Must not impose charges on individuals with disabilities to provide modifications; • May provide special benefits beyond those required by regulations; • Shall operate programs, when viewed in their entirety, to be readily accessible to and usable by persons with disabilities.

36. Essential Eligibility Requirements • Will depend on the type of service or activity involved – an example: • Food Stamps: must meet financial eligibility and other criteria • Public postsecondary schools: must meet the academic and technical requirements for admission or participation, with or without reasonable accommodations.

37. Program Access • Must ensure that individuals with disabilities are not excluded from services, programs and activities because of inaccessibility.

38. Integrated Programs • May not provide separate program unless necessary for effective services; • Even if separate program is permitted, person with a disability has the right to choose to participate in regular program; • May not require a person with a disability to accept a special accommodation if they choose not to.

39. Physical Accessibility • “Existing facilities” are those constructed for first occupancy prior to January 26, 1992. • Must remove architectural barriers that are readily achievable • Must provide program access where barrier removal is not readily achievable

40. Examples of Alternative Methods • Relocating a service to an accessible floor or facility; • Providing an aide or personal assistance to enable a person with a disability to obtain a service; • Provide the service at home

41. New Construction and Alterations • Those facilities designed and constructed for first occupancy after January 26, 1992 • Those facilities or portions of facilities altered after January 26, 1992 Must ensure buildings are free of architectural barriers, using either the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS) or the ADA Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG). * ADAAG and UFAS at: www.access-board.gov

42. Limits of Duty to Provide Access • Public entities are not required to take any action that would result in an “undue financial or administrative burden,” or “fundamentally alter” the nature of the program, activity or service. • Must take other necessary action to ensure equal access.

43. Enforcement … File a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) alleging violation of Title II or III of the ADA. Title II: Complaint must be filed within 180 days of the date of the discrimination. Title III: There is no deadline for filing this complaint, but we urge you to do so as soon as possible to preserve your rights.

44. Enforcement … File a complaint with the Arizona District of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, under Title III of the ADA, by calling (800) 800-2570. There is no deadline in which to file this complaint, but again, we urge you to do so as soon as possible to preserve your rights.

45. Enforcement (Title III/AzDA) File a complaint of discrimination with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, Civil Rights Division under the state’s Arizonans With Disabilities Act (AzDA), by calling: (602) 542-5263 or TDD: (602) 542-5002 in Phoenix, -or- (520) 628-6500 or TDD: (520) 628-6872 in Tucson. * Complaints must be filed within 180 days from the date of the discrimination.

46. Enforcement … • Lawsuits – • Individuals can bring lawsuits to enforce their rights under Title II and III. • Remedies include: • Injunctive relief; • Monetary damages (Ninth Circuit requires the discrimination to be intentional to obtain monetary relief); • Reasonable attorneys fees to the prevailing Plaintiff.

47. Not covered by Title II or III of the ADA but covered by other civil rights/disability laws • Airlines are covered by the federal Air Carriers Access Act however airports and terminals are covered by Title III. • Housing covered by the Fair Housing Act. • Telecommunications however Title IV of the ADA applies to common carriers that provide interstate wire or radio communications.

48. Air Carriers Access Act • The Air Carrier Access Act of 1986 (ACAA) prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in air transportation (49 U.S.C. 41705). Its implementing regulations are promulgated by the U.S. Department of Transportation are at 14 C.F.R. Part 382. The ACAA addresses issues including aircraft accessibility, airport facilities accessibility and requirements for services, as well as administrative provisions and compliance procedures.