What Does ADA Stand For?
How much do you know about the ADA?
Anyone who is protected by the ADA should be familiar with it on some level, but it's important for everyone in the United States to have at least a loose grasp on what it is and what it means.
What does ADA stand for? What is ADA compliance? What about the ADA guidelines?
We're here to explain the things that you need to know about the ADA. Keep reading to learn more.
What Does ADA Stand For?
So what does the ADA stand for anyway?
The ADA is the Americans with Disabilities Act. This act was put in place in 1990. It protects people with disabilities in various areas such as employment, transportation, and government programs and services (among other things).
There are several departments that work together to enforce the ADA. These include (but are not limited to) the department of transportation, the FCC, the department of justice, and the department of health and human services.
The ADA aims to ensure that people with disabilities won't have to suffer discrimination.
What Are ADA Guidelines?
ADA guidelines vary depending on what area in which the ADA applies. The most well-known ADA guidelines exist within the workplace.
Employers and labor unions are unable to discriminate against current or future employees based on their disabilities. If someone is capable of doing the job in question (with or without reasonable accommodations), the employer must treat them as they would any other employee.
When it comes to barriers within transportation or public buildings, guidelines are in place to make buildings and public transit options as accessible as possible. This may include things like adding handrails, providing ramps, installing wheelchair-friendly doors, and more.
Regardless of where the guidelines apply, the overall point is to make the world more accessible and fair to people who have disabilities. Many abled people don't consider all of the ways in which the world is easier to navigate for them. The ADA aims to level the playing field, so to speak.
What Is ADA Compliance?
ADA compliance is a responsible party's ability to follow all ADA guidelines when it comes to their buildings, transit, employment or hiring processes, medical care, and anything else that the ADA has the ability to cover.
Staying compliant means that the responsible party keeps up with current ADA guidelines if they change and doesn't try to "skirt" the rules.
If you're worried that an entity that's covered by the ADA isn't compliant, you can file a complaint to report them. Noncompliance results in high fines.
The ADA Is Important
So what does ADA stand for? It's the Americans with Disabilities Act, and it's crucial when it comes to protecting people with disabilities from discrimination. Everyone deserves to navigate the world freely and equally.
If you're part of a responsible party that's covered by the ADA, it's important that you stay compliant. We have a great supply of mobility products for commercial use. Visit our shop to find the best product for you.