Final answer:
The ADA provides protections to individuals with disabilities, prohibiting discrimination and requiring employers to make reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities, unless it causes undue hardship.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) provides civil rights protection to those who are disabled or who have disabilities. This important legislation prohibits employers from discriminating against individuals or transferring them out of food handling duties simply because they have these conditions. Under the ADA, a disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, such as hearing, walking, or breathing.
Employers are required to make reasonable accommodations to enable employees with disabilities to perform their jobs, unless doing so would cause undue hardship to the business. These accommodations may include modifying work schedules, making facilities accessible, or providing necessary equipment. The act covers both the public and private sectors, making it illegal for employers with 15 or more employees to discriminate against qualified individuals with disabilities in aspects of employment, which include hiring, job training, and other employment privileges.
Since its inception, the ADA has been expanded to encompass individuals with various conditions, including alcoholism, past drug addiction, obesity, and psychiatric disabilities. The focus of the ADA is to ensure that individuals with disabilities are given equal opportunity and are not sidelined due to misconceptions or prejudices regarding their capabilities. The act also emphasizes that accommodations are often simple and inexpensive, countering the argument that compliance would be financially burdensome for small businesses.