Wireless RERC - Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

24th Anniversary of the Americans With Disabilities Act

mz22 — Mon, 28 Jul 2014 14:53:28 +0000

July 2014 — President Barack Obama encouraged the nation to celebrate the 24^th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in a recent Presidential Proclamation honoring the day. The proclamation acknowledged that while there is still work to be done, the Obama Administration has worked diligently to expand access to community living, healthcare, and employment for people with disabilities. President Obama concluded his proclamation by noting that that Anniversary of the ADA allows us to “celebrate [the accomplishments of people with disabilities], stand against discrimination in all its forms, and honor all who sacrificed so future generations might know a more equal society.”

Justice Dept. Settles Employment Discrimination Investigation

mz22 — Fri, 11 Jul 2014 14:05:27 +0000

employment

Title I of the ADA

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Settlement Agreement between the United States of America and The City Of Hubbard, Oregon

July 2014 – The Department of Justice has resolved its investigation of Hubbard, Oregon’s alleged violations of Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The Settlement Agreement reads, “The United States alleges that the City has engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination under the ADA by requiring applicants to disclose disabilities and/or medical information in their applications prior to making a conditional offer of employment.” The City of Hubbard has since withdrawn all disability-related questions from job applications and agreed to the following:

Not to conduct a medical examination or make a disability-related inquiry of a job applicant before a conditional offer of employment is made;
Not requiring a medical examination or making inquiries of an employee’s disability or the severity of the disability;
Confidentially maintaining the medical or disability-related information of applicants and employees in separate files; and
Training hiring personnel and employees on the requirements of the ADA, addressing and reporting ADA compliance.

NFB Calls for ADA Internet Regulations

mz22 — Tue, 08 Jul 2014 17:31:07 +0000

National Federation of the Blind (NFB)

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

National Federation of the Blind Urges Obama Administration to Issue ADA Internet Regulations

July 2014 – The National Federation of the Blind (NFB) concluded their 2014 National Convention with a unanimous vote urging the Obama administration to issue Internet regulations in compliance with Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act. More than twenty-five hundred members of the NFB adopted the resolution, noting the need for accessible website design and content that allows access to the Internet through computerized speech software or Braille conversion. President of the NFB, Dr. Marc Maurer, stated “Since public accommodations, as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), increasingly conduct business with the public over the internet, it is imperative that their websites be accessible to the blind…Technology holds the promise that blind people will be able to live the lives we want to a degree never before possible, but only if internet technology is properly designed …That is why we demand that the Obama administration issue the long-delayed ADA regulations applying to the Internet the legal principle of equal access for all.”

DOT Seeks Comment on New Guidance Documents

mz22 — Tue, 04 Mar 2014 16:56:01 +0000

Department of Transportation (DoT)

Federal Transit Administration (FTA)

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

FTA Proposed Circular Amendment

Circular Amendment Text

February 2014 — The Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Transit Administration (FTA) released the first chapters for a proposed circular, meant to offer guidance to transportation providers regarding Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations. The chapters released will be included among a series of approximately 12 chapters and feature the following topics:

Chapter 1: Introduction and Applicability
Chapter 2: General Requirements
Chapter 5: Equivalent Facilitation
Chapter 8: Complementary Paratransit Service

While the circular will not “alter, amend, supersede or otherwise affect” the ADA regulations, it will provide stakeholders with “a helpful outline of basic requirements” and examples of best practices in implementing those requirements. Currently, the DOT seeks comment on both the scope and content of the chapters as well as additional best practices that can be included. Comments on the chapters are due April 24, 2014.

Fort Morgan, Colorado to Become ADA Compliant

mz22 — Mon, 12 Aug 2013 15:50:23 +0000

Department of Justice

Project Civic Access

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

DOJ Press Release

August 2013 — The Department of Justice reached an agreement with the town of Fort Morgan, Colorado regarding the implementation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The agreement is the 208^th made under Project Civic Access (PCA), an initiative which “[surveys] state and local government facilities, services and programs in communities across the country to identify changes needed to comply with the ADA.” Under the agreement, the city is required to remediate accessibility barriers, which includes ensuring employment policies align with Equal Employment Opportunity Commission regulations, providing notification of the ADA Grievance Procedure, and installing curb cuts and resurfacing walkways to ensure accessibility of sidewalks. In addition, the city will review all emergency management procedures to ensure that emergency shelters are accessible, all evacuation plans consider the needs of people with disabilities, and that all communications are accessible. Of the agreement, John Walsh, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Colorado, stated “One of the important roles the Department of Justice plays is ensuring that anyone can access their government. With the signing of this agreement with Fort Morgan, those with disabilities will be able to interact with their government, free of any barriers that may have previously blocked their access.”

FCC Acting Chairwoman Clyburn Commemorates the ADA

mz22 — Mon, 22 Jul 2013 15:24:39 +0000

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA)

Communications Access

Prepared Remarks of FCC Acting Chairwoman Mignon L. Clyburn

PowerPoint Presentation

July 2013 — The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Acting Chairwoman Mignon Clyburn addressed the FCC in commemoration of the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. In her address, Clyburn highlighted that the ADA has had a profound impact for over 50 million Americans and “has opened the doors of opportunity to education, employment, and entertainment, as well as communication, community and civic action and access.” Clyburn continues by addressing the impact of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA), “the ‘sister’ to the ADA.” Further expanding access for people with disabilities, Clyburn noted that the CVAA has enhanced the availability of closed caption and video description services, while providing accessible communication devices for people who are deaf-blind and allowing for easier access to “accessible communications products and services through the Commission’s new accessibility clearinghouse.” Clyburn ended her address by acknowledging the many people who have advocated for communications accessibility.

ADA Settlements with Colorado Law Enforcement for People with Hearing Loss

mz22 — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 16:51:23 +0000

U.S Department of Justice

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

sign language interpreters

Hearing Loss

Press Release

March 2013 — The U.S. Department of Justice reached cooperative settlement agreements with the cities of Englewood and Arapahoe, Colorado Sheriff’s Offices under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Complaints were filed with the Justice Department in regard to officers of the Sheriff’s Offices not providing qualified sign language interpreters and additional assistive resources and services to victims, arrestees, and witnesses that were deaf or hard of hearing. Under the settlements, $35,000 will be paid to the plaintiffs by both the city of Englewood and Arapahoe County. In addition, each county will take the following measures to prevent the occurrences from recurring: enter contracts with sign language interpreters and advertise their availability, educate staff on ADA requirements, provide text telephones and phones with volume control, and offer hearing aid and cochlear implant processor batteries in detention facilities.

Closed Captioned Movies for Theaters and In-Flight Entertainment

mz22 — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 16:41:04 +0000

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

March 2013 — In March, U.S. Senator Tom Harkins (D-Iowa) introduced two bills to Congress that would expand the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to provide closed captioning on movies shown in movie theaters and on all airplanes. The purpose of the bills is to improve the accessibility of movies to individuals with disabilities. The Cinema Act [S.555.IS] would require that all movie theaters with two or more theaters or screening rooms showing copyrighted motion pictures provide captioning and video description. The second bill, the Air Carrier Access Amendments Act [S.556.IS] provides captioning and video description on entertainment programming offered by air carriers on all passenger flights, including any foreign air carriers.

Senate Votes No on the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

mz22 — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 19:54:44 +0000

U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Universal Human Rights

Disability Rights

Press Release

White House Statement by Press Secretary

December 4, 2012— The Senate vote of 61-38 on the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was five votes short of the required two-thirds majority. Senators that oppose the treaty, such as Senator James Inhofe (R-Oklahoma), argue that it could “infringe on U.S. sovereignty” and inhibit parents from homeschooling their children with disabilities. Supporters of the treaty, including Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kansas), argue that ratification of the treaty would not change U.S. law but would require other countries to adopt and implement the same standards set forth by the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act. The White House Press Secretary released a statement following the Senate vote stating disappointment in the failure to ratify the treaty, as President Obama declared in a written statement just before the vote that “disability rights should not stop at our nation’s shores.”

International Day of Persons with Disabilities

mz22 — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 19:50:25 +0000

International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Universal Human Rights

Disability Rights

Press Release

December 3, 2012 — In a Presidential Proclamation, President Barack Obama announced December 3, 2012 as International Day of Persons with Disabilities. President Obama discussed the continuing efforts to ensure that individuals with disabilities have equal access to education, medical care, and finding work within the United States by upholding the basic promises outlined by the Americans with Disabilities Act. It was recognized that the rights of individuals with disabilities must also be ensured outside the U.S. borders and be recognized worldwide. President Obama noted that there was progress still to be made in “affirming universal human rights” but recognized the U.S as a global leader on disability rights, as the U.S will “redouble our efforts to build new paths to participation, empowerment, and progress around the world.”