Disability
Americans with disabilities have a long history of being secluded and barred from participating in mainstream American life. In fact, it has only been in the last few decades that the government has removed some of these barriers and stigmas. On July 26, 1990, President George H.W. Bush first signed the landmark Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The signing of this law represented a milestone in this country's commitment to full and equal opportunity for all of its citizens. Specifically, Title I of the law prohibits employers with 15 or more employees from discriminating against individuals with disabilities when it comes to recruitment, hiring, promotions, training, pay, social activities and other privileges enjoyed by other employees. Notwithstanding these significant developments, the overall status of people with disabilities in America still remains pretty dismal. People with disabilities are the poorest, least educated and largest minority in America. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the August 2009 unemployment rate of people with disabilities was 16.9 percent, compared with 9.3 percent for people with no ADA-defined disability. In addition, people with disabilities in the labor force were a mere 23 percent, compared with 72 percent for people with no disability.
Disability Articles
