Disability Discrimination in the Workplace: An Overview of the ADA

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits employers from discriminating against employees or applicants with disabilities in all aspects of employment including hiring, pay, promotion, firing, and more. It also protects employees from retaliation when they enforce their rights under the law. (To learn more about ADA rules for the hiring process, read Nolo’s articleGetting Hired With a Disability.)

Private employers with at least 15 employees must follow the ADA. Many states have similar laws, which may apply to smaller employers too.

Employers subject to the ADA cannot discriminate against a “qualified worker with a disability.” Furthermore, the employer must provide a reasonable accommodation for a worker with a disability as long as the accommodation won’t cause the employer undue hardship. The ADA specifies what counts as a disability, which workers are protected by the law, when accommodations are required, and what constitutes an undue hardship.

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