By now most people know that the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) is a ground-breaking law that protects the rights of those with disabilities and enables them to be fully included in American life. As we celebrate the 33rd anniversary of the passage of this legislation, we did some research and found out a few things about the ADA that we bet you didn’t know:
- President George H.W. Bush signed the ADA with 59 pens, each of which were later given to key figures involved in the advocacy for disability rights.
- Since 2000, 181 countries have have passed disability civil rights laws inspired by the ADA.
- More than half of accommodations for people with disabilities under the ADA cost employers NOTHING. The average for other accommodations is about $500.
- The ADA also applies to digital accessibility, not just physical. In fact, the number of web accessibility lawsuits that were brought to federal court citing Title III of the ADA reached a new record in 2022, with plaintiffs filing 3,255 lawsuits—a 12 percent increase from 2021.
- Family members and others that have a relationship with a disabled person cannot be discriminated against by an employer or potential employer for that association. For example, an employer cannot refuse to hire an individual who has a child with a disability based on an assumption that the applicant will be away from work excessively or be otherwise unreliable. (Learn more about the ADA’s Association Provision.)
Join us in celebrating the ADA anniversary by purchasing one of our Imagine t-shirts. Proceeds from sales support our work to create a more accessible Lone Star State. (Sales end July 30, 2023.)