Final answer:
Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination in public accommodations, ensuring that people with disabilities have equal access to facilities and services. It requires modifications in policies and construction to make public services and transportation accessible. This title complements Title I, which specifically addresses employment and reasonable accommodations.
Step-by-step explanation:
Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) addresses issues of Public Accommodations by prohibiting discrimination against individuals with disabilities. It ensures that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else to participate in mainstream American life. According to the ADA, public accommodations are private entities that own, lease, lease to, or operate facilities such as restaurants, movie theaters, schools, day care facilities, recreation facilities, and doctors' offices. Title II requires that new public and commercial facilities be constructed to be accessible to individuals with disabilities.
It is important to note, since there might be confusion, that although reasonable accommodations are often associated with employment, Title I of the ADA covers employment and requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified employees with disabilities. However, Title II specifically focuses on public services and transportation, requiring them to be accessible and nondiscriminatory.
While Title II does not directly address employment, it builds on the foundations set by previous civil rights legislation, such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964, by ensuring equal treatment in a wider range of public environments. Under Title II, entities must not deny people with disabilities the opportunity to participate in or benefit from their services, programs, or activities. Modifications in policies, practices, or procedures must be made when necessary to accommodate people with disabilities, unless such changes would fundamentally alter the nature of the service, program, or activity.
The ADA's broad prohibition on discrimination in the context of public accommodations, and its requirement for reasonable modifications in policies, amplifies the importance of providing equal access and opportunity for individuals with disabilities, which extends beyond the workplace and into every public area of life.