The Americans with Disability Act of 1990
The rule of law of the country states that all people are equal before the law of the country. This is the main drive that led to the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. ADA is often considered the first far reaching social liberties law that prioritizes the necessities of the general population with inabilities, precluding any type of segregation, especially in business, open administrations, open convenience and telecommunication. Research shows that the ADA has the most far-reaching influence on the United States workplace since the civil rights act of 1964. Unfortunately, many American citizens remain uncertain about their rights and responsibilities owing to the terms used in the act such as reasonable accommodation (Recupero & Harms, 2013). As a result, most of the Americans are not sure how they should interact effectively and legally with people with disabilities. The primary objective of the act of the act is to set a clear definition of disabilities and protect American citizens working and living in the United States from discrimination by disability. The act attempts to offer a clear mandate prohibiting the segregation of individuals with disabilities, provide standards for enforcing standards defining disability and discrimination and to make sure that the government assistance in enforcing the already established standards. This study will attempt to provide the overview of the law, public trends and faith integration of the law.
Overview of the law
The journey to the formulation and the signing of the ADA did not begin when the act was signed in 1990 neither did it began in 1998 when the first ADA was introduced in the United States Congress. History shows that the journey began decades ago in urban groups and towns in the US when individuals with impairments begun to challenge societal checks that isolated them from their gatherings and social requests, and when parents and guardians of children with disabilities begun to challenge the restriction of their children. Along these lines, there was the establishment of neighborhood social events to advocate for the benefits of people with disabilities all through the United States. Besides, there was the establishment of the free living improvement which tried the notion that individuals living with disabilities required association and moreover combat for and outfitted organizations for people with failures to live in the community (Kraft, 2012). The ADA came as an alleviation to a huge number of individuals who make up the incapacity rights development and the general population who have worked for a considerable length of time arranging and going to dissents and doing what they accept was ideal for the cause they had faith in.
The Americans with Disabilities Act endeavor to give social liberty insurance to people with incapacities like those given to people by race, shading, sex, national origin, age, and religion. Some of the major provisions of this act include:
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Equal employment opportunity for individuals with disabilities – before the implementation of the law, most of the people living with disabilities were marginalized in their places of work and at times forced to leave their occupation. However, the act is designed to help such individuals get a similar work openings and advantages accessible to individuals without any handicaps. Therefore, employees are required by the law to provide reasonable accommodation to all qualified employees and applicants irrespective of their physical appearance. Notably, this provision characterizes incapacity and builds up rules for the sensible settlement process and addresses restorative examination and request (Stefan, n.d).
Nondiscrimination by inability in state and neighborhood taxpayer supported organizations – the law precludes any kind of separation or isolation against qualified people with incapacities in all projects, exercises, and administrations of open associations. Consequently, this law is connected to all state and government workplaces, their organizations or different instrumentalities and extraordinary purpose regions of the state and central government. The arrangement outlines the regulatory procedures that ought to be trailed by every open association, as well as necessities for self-assessment and getting ready for sensible arrangements.
Despite the fact that the ADA was meant to protect the rights of people living with disabilities, it is correct to say that it has both advantages and disadvantages just like any other concept. One of the primary pros of this act is the fact that it opens doors and opportunities for employment for disabled citizens living and working in the United States. Additionally, the act helps to implement workplace standards and government demands that allow disabled individuals to work and live like any other person would in the workplace. On the other hand, there are those who feel that the implementation and execution of the ADA can be costly and expensive to many organizations. Research shows that that material, apparatuses and structures fitted to address the issues of impaired people can frequently be all the more expensive compared to the standard tools and structures for other people (Heaphy, 2010). However, organizations can be exempted from the implementation of this law but have to prove undue hardship.
Public policy trends
With the changing times and trends in the globe over the last two decades, the Americans with Disabilities Act has been amended severally accommodate these changes. One of the major amendments occurred in 2008, and the new law was intended to clarify the scope of the definition of disability act under the ADA and came into effect on first January 2009. The primary purpose of the new law which was widely referred to as ADAAA was to respond to various Supreme Court decisions that had translated the ADA’s meaning of incapacity. The tight understanding of the Supreme Court left many debilitated people in the dissent of the law’s security for numerous people living with hindrances, for example, malignancy, diabetes and epilepsy who had been casualties of unfavorable activities because of their incapacities.
As a result of this misunderstanding, the lawmakers were forced to make substantial changes to the ADA definition of disability to make sure that at no other point in future disabled individuals will be denied their rights by the law. Under the new law, the term substantially limits shall be constructed in favor of expansive coverage to the extent permitted by the term generously confines should be developed for sweeping scope to the degree allowed by the terms of the ADA and in making an individual appraisal required by the ADA the term might be translated and connected to require a level of useful impediment that is lower than the standard (Heaphy, 2010). This is a clear indication that the new law has clarified all the issues that were present in the original ADA to guarantee better service to the American citizens.
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Faith integration
The disability rights movements through their efforts have managed to show the plight and treacheries confronted by people with inabilities to the American public and legislators. Biblically, it is wrong for one human being to mistreat the other based on their shortcomings or disabilities. According to the book of Galatians chapter three and verses 28, the Bible says that there is neither a Jew nor Greek, there is neither a slave nor free, there is no male and female, for all of us, are all one in Christ Jesus. This verse clearly shows that all human beings as part of God’s creation are equal in his eyes irrespective of their race, ethnicity, abilities, disabilities and physical appearance. Therefore, all individuals should be treated equal and should have equal opportunities. Additionally, in the book of Leviticus chapter 19 and verses 14, the Bible says that as human beings we should not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind, but shall fear your God: I am the Lord (Clasby, 2008). In a real sense, the cursing and stumbling blocks to the disabled include all the injustices, discrimination and humiliation they have to go in the society. However, with the implementation of the ADA, people living with disability have a safe place to live in.
From the above research, it is easy to say that there are there are dreadfully many individuals whose dedication and diligent work added to the section of this notable legislation to protect the disabled. However, it is the duty of every member of the society to see to that our family members, our friends and every member of the society is not discriminated because of their disability. The implementation of the law cannot be left in the hands of a few in the society
References
Clasby, N. T. (2008). Core Teachings. God, the Bible, and Human Consciousness, 145-155. doi:10.1057/9780230611986_9
Heaphy, D. G. (2010). Section 504 the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act in Public Health Education. Public Health Perspectives on Disability, 227-253. doi:10.1007/978-1-4419-7341-2_11
Kraft, M. E., & Furlong, S. R. (2012). Public policy: Politics, analysis, and alternatives. Sage.
Recupero, P. R., & Harms, S. E. (2013). The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act in Disability Evaluations. Clinical Guide to Mental Disability Evaluations, 259-289. doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-5447-2_10
Stefan, S. (n.d.). Private insurance and the Americans With Disabilities Act. Unequal rights: Discrimination against people with mental disabilities and the Americans With Disabilities Act, 249-306. doi:10.1037/10386-006
