Individual agencies and credible resources were used in the compilation of this Desktop Guide to Disability Rights Laws in the United States as of 2020.
ADA.gov. (2017). Information and Technical Assistance on the Americans with Disabilities Act.
https://www.ada.gov
Brennan, J. (2015). The ADA national network disability law handbook. ADA National Network.
https://adata.org/guide/ada-national-network-disability-law-handbook
Colorado State University. (2020, November 15). Disability Legislation History: A Brief History of Legislation. Student Disability Center. https://disabilitycenter.colostate.edu/awareness/disability-history
History, Art & Archives. (2020, November 15). Constitutional Amendments and Major Civil Rights Acts of Congress. Black Americans in Congress. https://history.house.gov/Exhibitions-and-Publications/BAIC/Historical-Data/Constitutional-Amendments-and-Legislation
U.S. Department of Justice. (2020, February). A Guide to Disability Rights Laws. https://www.ada.gov/cguide.htm
Below you'll find summaries of all disability rights laws in the United States, as well as contact information regarding each law.
You may download a PDF of this page (which includes a helpful table of contents) under the "downloads" section of the sidebar (or footer on mobile).
The Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) requires that buildings and facilities that are designed, constructed, or altered with Federal funds, or leased by a Federal
agency, comply with Federal standards for physical accessibility. ABA requirements are limited to architectural standards in new and altered buildings and in newly leased facilities. They do not address the activities conducted in those buildings and facilities. Facilities of the U.S. Postal Service are covered by the ABA.
For more information, questions, and complaints about matters related to the Architectural Barriers Act, contact the U.S. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board:
1-800-872-2253 (voice)
1-800-993-2822 (TTY)
The Achieving a Better Life Experience (ABLE) Act of 2014 allows states to create tax-advantaged savings programs for eligible people with disabilities (designated beneficiaries). Funds from these 529A ABLE accounts can help designated beneficiaries pay for qualified disability expenses. Distributions are tax-free if used for qualified disability expenses.
For more information, questions, and complaints about matters related to the ABLE Act administered by ABLEnow in cooperation with the IRS. Contact ABLEnow:
1-844-669-2253 (Voice/Relay)
The Affordable Care act is a comprehensive health care reform law enacted in March 2010 (sometimes known as ACA, PPACA, or “Obamacare”) and has 3 primary goals:
Make affordable health insurance available to more people. The law provides consumers with subsidies (“premium tax credits”) that lower costs for households with incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level.
Expand the Medicaid program to cover all adults with income below 138% of the federal poverty level. (Not all states have expanded their Medicaid programs.)
Support innovative medical care delivery methods designed to lower the costs of health care generally.
For more information, questions, and complaints about matters related to Affordable Care Act, contact the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:
1-800-318-2596 (voice)
1-855-889-4325 (TTY)
The Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) prohibits discrimination in air transportation
by domestic and foreign air carriers against qualified individuals with physical or mental impairments. It applies only to air carriers that provide regularly scheduled services for hire to the public.
Requirements address a wide range of issues including boarding assistance and certain accessibility features in newly built aircraft and new or altered airport facilities. People may enforce rights under the Air Carrier Access Act by filing a complaint with the U.S. Department of Transportation, or by bringing a lawsuit in Federal court.
The ACAA was amended in December 2020 with new regulations regarding service animals. See Final Rule - Traveling by Air with Service Animals | US Department of Transportation.
For more information, questions, and complaints about matters related to the Air Carrier Access Act, contact the Aviation Consumer Protection Division, C-75 of the U.S. Department of Transportation:
1-800-778-4838 (voice) 1-800-455-9880 (TTY)
The ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, State and local government, public accommodations, commercial facilities, transportation, and telecommunications. It also applies to the United States Congress.
To be protected by the ADA, one must have a disability or have a relationship or association with an individual with a disability. An individual with a disability is defined by the ADA as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history or record of such an impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment. The ADA does not specifically name all of the impairments that are covered.
Title I requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide qualified individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to benefit from the full range of employment-related opportunities available to others. For example, it prohibits discrimination in recruitment, hiring, promotions, training, pay, social activities, and other privileges of employment. It restricts questions that can be asked about an applicant’s disability before a job offer is made, and it requires that employers make reasonable accommodation to the known physical or mental limitations of otherwise qualified individuals with disabilities, unless it results in undue hardship. Religious entities with 15 or more employees are covered under title I.
Title I complaints must be filed with the U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) within 180 days of the date of discrimination, or 300 days if the charge is filed with a designated State or local fair employment practice agency. Individuals may file a lawsuit in Federal court only after they receive a “right-to-sue” letter from the EEOC.
Charges of employment discrimination on the basis of disability may be filed at any U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission field office. Field offices are located in 50 cities throughout the U.S. and are listed in most telephone directories under “U.S. Government.”
For more information, questions, and complaints about matters related to ADA Title I regulations, contact the appropriate Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (EEOC) field office in your geographic area:
1-800-669-4000 (Voice)
1-800-669-6820 (TTY)
1-844-234-5122 (ASL Video Phone)
For information on how to accommodate a specific individual with a disability, contact the Job Accommodation Network:
1-800-526-7234 (Voice)
1-877-781-9403 (TTY)
Title II covers all activities of State and local governments regardless of the government entity’s size or receipt of Federal funding. Title II requires that State and local governments give people with disabilities an equal opportunity to benefit from all of their programs, services, and activities (e.g. public education, employment, transportation, recreation, health care, social services, courts,
voting, and town meetings).
State and local governments are required to follow specific architectural standards in the new construction and alteration of their buildings. They also must relocate programs or otherwise provide access in inaccessible older buildings, and communicate effectively with people who have hearing, vision, or speech disabilities. Public entities are not required to take actions that would result in undue financial and administrative burdens. They are required to make reasonable modifications to policies, practices, and procedures where necessary to avoid discrimination unless they can demonstrate that doing so would fundamentally alter the nature of the service, program, or activity being provided.
Complaints of Title II violations may be filed with the Department of Justice within 180 days of the date of discrimination. In certain situations, cases may be referred to a mediation program sponsored by the Department. The Department may bring a lawsuit where it has investigated a matter and has been unable to resolve violations.
For more information, questions, and complaints about matters related to ADA Title II regulations, contact the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division:
1-800-514-0301 (Voice)
1-800-514-0383 (TTY)
Title II may also be enforced through private lawsuits in Federal court. It is not nec- essary to file a complaint with the Department of Justice (DOJ) or any other Federal agency, or to receive a “right-to-sue” letter, before going to court.
The transportation provisions of title II cover public transportation services, such
as city buses and public rail transit (e.g. subways, commuter rails, Amtrak). Public transportation authorities may not discriminate against people with disabilities in the provision of their services. They must comply with requirements for accessibility in newly purchased vehicles, make good faith efforts to purchase or lease accessi- ble used buses, remanufacture buses in an accessible manner, and, unless it would result in an undue burden, provide paratransit where they operate fixed-route bus or rail systems. Paratransit is a service where individuals who are unable to use the regular transit system independently (because of a physical or mental impairment) are picked up and dropped off at their destinations.
For more information, questions and complaints about matters related to public transportation, contact the Federal Transit Administration, Office of Civil Rights:
1-888-446-4511 (Voice/Relay)
Department of Transportation ADA
Title III covers businesses and nonprofit service providers that are public accommodations, privately operated entities offering certain types of courses and examinations, privately operated transportation, and commercial facilities. Public accommodations are private entities who own, lease, lease to, or operate facilities such as restaurants, retail stores, hotels, movie theaters, private schools, convention centers, doctors’ offices, homeless shelters, transportation depots, zoos, funeral homes, day care centers, and recreation facilities including sports stadiums and fitness clubs. Transportation services provided by private entities are also covered by Title III.
Public accommodations must comply with basic nondiscrimination requirements that prohibit exclusion, segregation, and unequal treatment. They also must comply with specific requirements related to architectural standards for new and altered buildings; reasonable modifications to policies, practices, and procedures; effective communication with people with hearing, vision, or speech disabilities; and other access requirements. Additionally, public accommodations must remove barriers in existing buildings where it is easy to do so without much difficulty or expense, given the public accommodation’s resources.
Courses and examinations related to professional, educational, or trade-related ap- plications, licensing, certifications, or credentialing must be provided in a place and manner accessible to people with disabilities, or alternative accessible arrangements must be offered.
Commercial facilities, such as factories and warehouses, must comply with the ADA’s architectural standards for new construction and alterations.
Complaints of title III violations may be filed with the Department of Justice. In certain situations, cases may be referred to a mediation program sponsored by the Department. The Department is authorized to bring a lawsuit where there is a pattern or practice of discrimination in violation of title III, or where an act of discrimination raises an issue of general public importance. Title III may also be enforced through private lawsuits. It is not necessary to file a complaint with the Department of Justice (or any Federal agency), or to receive a “right-to-sue” letter, before going to court.
For more information, questions, and complaints about matters related to ADA Title III regulations, contact the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division:
1-800-514-0301 (Voice)
1-800-514-0383 (TTY)
Title IV addresses telephone and television access for people with hearing and speech disabilities. It requires common carriers (telephone companies) to establish interstate and intrastate telecommunications relay services (TRS) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. TRS enables callers with hearing and speech disabilities who use TTYs (also known as TDDs), and callers who use voice telephones to communicate with each other through a third-party communications assistant. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has set minimum standards for TRS services. Title IV also requires closed captioning of Federally funded public service announcements.
For more information, questions, and complaints about matters related to ADA Title IV regulations and or TRS, contact the Federal Communications Commission, Disability Rights Office:
1-800-225-5322 (Voice)
1-888-835-5322 (TTY)
1-844-432-2275 (ASL Video Phone)
Title V includes miscellaneous provisions that are intended to apply broadly across all the other titles. Many of these provisions, some of which are found nowhere else in the law itself, were subsequently included and interpreted by the various federal agencies that issued regulations to implement the other titles of the ADA.
Some significant provisions of Title V include:
The ADA does not invalidate or override any other laws (federal, state, or local) that provide equal or greater protections or remedies for people with disabilities.
Exclusion of certain conditions, regardless of whether they are impairments, from the definition of disability. These conditions include transvestism, transsexualism, pedophilia, exhibitionism, voyeurism, gender identity disorders not resulting from physical impairments, other sexual behavior disorders, compulsive gambling, kleptomania, pyromania, and psychoactive substance use disorders resulting from current illegal use of drugs. Homosexuality and bisexuality, since they are not impairments, cannot be considered disabilities under the ADA. Additionally, people who are currently engaged in illegal drug use are excluded from protection under the ADA.
A clause of “severability” states that if any part of the law is found by a court to be unconstitutional, that part is cut from the whole without affecting the remaining parts.
Certain federal agencies are directed to develop plans, produce materials, and disseminate information in order to provide technical assistance to entities and individuals who have rights and responsibilities under the law. Covered entities are not excused from compliance, however, if they do not receive technical assistance.
Extension of coverage to the U.S. Congress, making it the only branch of the federal government covered by the ADA.
and prohibits:
Retaliation, intimidation, coercion, threats, or interference with people who seek to exercise their rights, or who encourage or aid others to do so, is prohibited. It is important that these provisions also protect people without disabilities if they do things like advocate or testify on behalf of individuals with disabilities.
Claims of “reverse discrimination” under the ADA; in other words, an individual cannot seek remedies if they feel they were discriminated against because they do not have a disability.
Title V clarifies that both States and Congress are covered by all provisions of the ADA. It also provides for recovery of legal fees for successful proceedings pursuant to the Act and establishes a mechanism for technical assistance along with specific instructions to many Federal agencies required to implement the Act. Title V also clarifies the roles of:
For more information, questions, and complaints about matters related to ADA Title V regulations, contact the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division.
1-800-514-0301 (Voice)
1-800-514-0383 (TTY)
Each of the ten regional centers were set up to provide information, training, and technical assistance to employers, people with disabilities, and other entities with responsibilities under the ADA and is funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR). The centers act as a “one-stop” central, comprehensive resource on ADA issues in employment, public services, public accommodations, and communications. Each center works closely with local business, disability, governmental, rehabilitation, and other professional networks to provide ADA information and assistance.
For more information, questions, and complaints about matters related to the Regional ADA Centers contact the ADA Program Assistance Coordinator:
1-800-949-4232 (Voice/TTY)
ADA Center Technical Assistance
The U.S. Access Board is an independent Federal agency devoted to accessibility for people with disabilities. It develops and maintains accessibility guidelines and Standards for buildings, facilities, and transit vehicles and provides technical assistance and training on these guidelines and Standards. The Access Board also develops guidance on Accessible Public-Right-of-Way, and other key areas of public life. The Architectural Barriers Act which applies to Federal facilities, is enforced by the U.S. Access Board. On September 15, 2010 the DOJ adopted the 2010 ADA Standards to apply to Title II and Title III entities. The Standards developed by the Access Board cover places of public accommodation, commercial facilities, and State and local government facilities. The vehicle guidelines address buses, vans, a variety of rail vehicles, trams, and other modes of public transportation. Regulations for facilities issued by DOJ and DOT reference the currently adopted ADA Standards.
For more information about matters related to the Access Board, contact the U.S. Access Board:
1-800-872-2253 (Voice)
1-800-993-2822 (TTY)
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) forbids age discrimination against people who are age 40 or older. It does not protect workers under the age of 40, although some states have laws that protect younger workers from age discrimination. It is not illegal for an employer or other covered entity to favor an older worker over a younger one, even if both workers are age 40 or older.
The law prohibits discrimination in any aspect of employment, including hiring, firing, pay, job assignments, promotions, layoff, training, benefits, and any other term or condition of employment. ADEA makes it unlawful to harass a person because of his or her age and can include, for example, offensive or derogatory remarks about a person’s age. Although the law doesn’t prohibit simple teasing, offhand comments, or isolated incidents that aren’t very serious, harassment is illegal when it is so frequent or severe that it creates a hostile or offensive work environment or when it results in an adverse employment decision (such as the victim being fired or demoted).
For more information, questions, and complaints about matters related to ADEA, contact the appropriate Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (EEOC) field office in your geographic area:
1-800-669-4000 (Voice) 1-800-669-6820 (TTY) 1-844-234-5122 (ASL Video Phone)
The Civil Rights Act of 1964 (P.L. 88–352, 78 Stat. 241, enacted July 2, 1964) is a landmark civil rights and labor law in the United States that outlaws discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, and later sexual orientation and gender identity. This Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits unequal application of voter registration requirements, racial segregation in schools and public accommodations, and employment discrimination.
The Civil Rights Act of 1964, comprised of eleven titles and numerous sections, has been called the “most comprehensive undertaking” to prevent and address discrimination in a wide range of contexts from discriminatory voter registration practices to racial segregation in business establishments and public schools. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 enacted new prohibitions and protections targeting discriminatory conduct in different forms and diverse contexts. The Act not only created new statutory rights, but also designed distinct methods of enforcing these rights, and established federal entities responsible for the enforcement or facilitation of these protections as well.
Title I—Voting Rights
Title II—Public Accommodations
Title III—Desegregation of Public Facilities
Title IV—Desegregation of Public Education
Title V—Commission on Civil Rights
Title VI—Nondiscrimination in Federally Assisted Programs
Title VII—Equal Employment Opportunity
Title VIII—Registration and Voting Statistics
Title IX—Intervention and Removal of Cases
Title X—Community Relations Service
Title XI—Miscellaneous
For more information about the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and its eleven titles, check out the Library of Congress website at https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/civil-rights-act/ epilogue.html
For more information, questions, and complaints about matters related to Civil Rights Act regulations, contact the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division:
1- 202-514-4609 (Voice)
1- 202-514-0716 (TTY)
The Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA) authorizes the U.S. Attorney General to investigate conditions of confinement at State and local government institutions such as prisons, jails, pretrial detention centers, juvenile correctional facilities, publicly operated nursing homes, and institutions for people with psychiatric or developmental disabilities. Its purpose is to allow the Attorney General to uncover and correct widespread deficiencies that seriously jeopardize the health and safety of residents of institutions. The Attorney General does not have authority under CRIPA to investigate isolated incidents or to represent individual institutionalized persons.
The Attorney General may initiate civil lawsuits where there is reasonable cause to believe that conditions are “egregious or flagrant,” that they are subjecting residents to “grievous harm,” and that they are part of a “pattern or practice” of resistance to residents’ full enjoyment of constitutional or Federal rights, including title II of the ADA and section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
For more information or questions about matters related to the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA) contact the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Special Litigation Section:
1-877-218-5228 (Voice/TTY)
The CVAA is designed to ensure that telephone and television services would be accessible to all Americans with disabilities and contains groundbreaking protections to enable people with disabilities to access broadband, digital and mobile innovations -- the emerging 21st century technologies for which the act is named.
The CVAA is divided into two broad titles or sections. Title I addresses communications access to make products and services using Broadband fully accessible to people with disabilities. For example, smartphones will be required to be usable by blind and visually impaired people as well as people with hearing aids. Title II of the accessibility act breaks new ground to make it easier for people with disabilities to view video programming on television and the Internet. For example, programs shown on television with captioning will be required to include the captioning when they are re-shown on the Internet. Both titles include provisions to ensure that people with disabilities have access to emergency information such as the next generation of 911 services and emergency information on the television.
For more information, questions, and complaints about matters related to Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA), contact the Federal Communications Commission, Disability Rights Office:
1-800-225-5322 (Voice)
1-888-835-5322 (TTY)
1-844-432-2275 (ASL Video Phone)
The Fair Housing Act, as amended in 1988, prohibits housing discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, and national origin. Its coverage includes private housing, housing that receives Federal financial assistance, and State and local government housing. It is unlawful to discriminate in any aspect of selling or renting housing or to deny a dwelling to a buyer or renter because of the disability of that individual, an individual associated with the buyer or renter, or an individual who intends to live in the residence. Other covered activities include, for example, financing, zoning practices, new construction design, and advertising.
The Fair Housing Act requires owners of housing facilities to make reasonable exceptions in their policies and operations to afford people with disabilities equal housing opportunities. For example, a landlord with a “no pets” policy may be required to grant an exception to this rule and allow an individual who is blind to keep a guide dog in the residence. The Fair Housing Act also requires landlords to allow tenants with disabilities to make reasonable access-related modifications to their private living space, as well as to common use spaces. (The landlord is not required to pay for the changes.) The Act further requires that new multifamily housing with four or more units be designed and built to allow access for persons with disabilities. This includes accessible common use areas, doors that are wide enough for wheelchairs, kitchens and bathrooms that allow a person using a wheelchair to maneuver, and other adaptable features within the units.
Complaints of Fair Housing Act violations may be filed with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
1-800-669-9777 (Voice)
1-800-927-9275 (TTY)
1-888-341-7781 (Voice/TTY)
1-800-767-7468 (Voice/Relay)
Additionally, the Department of Justice can file cases involving a pattern or practice of discrimination. The Fair Housing Act may also be enforced through private lawsuits.
The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) under the U.S. Department of Labor entitles eligible employees of covered employers to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons with continuation of group health insurance coverage under the same terms and conditions as if the employee had not taken leave. Eligible employees are entitled to:
For more information, questions, and complaints about matters related to FMLA regulations, contact the Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor:
1- 866-487-9243 (Voice)
1- 877-889-5627 (TTY)
The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008 (GINA) is a federal law that protects individuals from genetic discrimination in health insurance and employment and has two titles:
Genetic discrimination is the misuse of genetic information. GINA makes it against the law for health insurers to request, require, or use genetic information to make decisions about:
It is against the law for your health insurer to use a genetic test result or family health history as a reason to deny you health insurance or decide how much you pay for your health insurance. In addition, GINA makes it against the law for your health insurer to:
For more information, questions, and complaints about matters related to GINA regulations, contact the National Human Genome Research Institute of the National Institutes of Health:
1-301-402-0911 (Voice)
The Help America Vote Act (HAVA) creates new mandatory minimum standards for states to follow in several key areas of election administration. The law provides funding to help states meet these new standards, replace voting systems, and improve election administration. HAVA also established the Election Assistance Commission (EAC) to assist the states regarding HAVA compliance and to distribute HAVA funds to the states. EAC is also charged with creating voting system guidelines and operating the federal government’s first voting system certification program. EAC is also responsible for maintaining the National Voter Registration form, conducting research, and administering a national clearinghouse on elections that includes shared practices, information for voters and other resources to improve elections. HAVA requires that the states implement the following new programs and procedures:
For more information, questions, and complaints about matters related to HAVA regulations, contact the U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC):
1- 866-747-1471 (Voice)
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was created primarily to modernize the flow of healthcare information, stipulate how personally identifiable information maintained by the healthcare and healthcare insurance industries should be protected from fraud and theft, and address limitations on healthcare insurance coverage.
HIPAA consists of five titles: Title I of HIPAA protects health insurance coverage for workers and their families when they change or lose their jobs; Title II of HIPAA, known as the Administrative Simplification (AS) provisions, requires the establishment of national standards for electronic health care transactions and national identifiers for providers, health insurance plans, and employers; Title III sets guidelines for pre-tax medical spending accounts; Title IV sets guidelines for group health plans, and Title V governs company-owned life insurance policies.
For more information, questions, and complaints about matters related to HIPAA regulations, contact the Office for Civil Rights Headquarters of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services:
1- 800-368-1019 (Voice)
1- 800-537-7697 (TTY)
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (formerly known as P.L. 94-142 or the Education for all Handicapped Children Act of 1975) requires public schools to make available to all eligible children with disabilities a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment appropriate to their individual needs.
IDEA requires public school systems to develop appropriate Individualized Education Programs (IEP’s) for each child. The specific special education and related services outlined in each IEP reflect the individualized needs of each student.
IDEA also mandates that particular procedures be followed in the development of the IEP. Each student’s IEP must be developed by a team of knowledgeable persons and must be at least reviewed annually. The team includes the child’s teacher; the parents, subject to certain limited exceptions; the child, if determined appropriate; an agency representative who is qualified to provide or supervise the provision of special education; and other individuals at the parents’ or agency’s discretion.
If parents disagree with the proposed IEP, they can request a due process hearing and a review from the State educational agency if applicable in that state. They also can appeal the State agency’s decision to the State or Federal court.
For more information, questions, and complaints about matters related to the National Voter Registration Act, contact the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services:
1-202-245-7459 (Voice/TTY)
Medicaid provides health coverage to millions of Americans, including eligible low-income adults, children, pregnant women, elderly adults, and people with disabilities. Medicaid is administered by states, according to federal requirements. The program is funded jointly by states and the federal government.
For more information, questions, and complaints about matters related to Medicaid, contact the Medicaid:
1- 877-267-2323 (Voice)
1- 866-226-1819 (TTY)
The National Voter Registration Act of 1993, also known as the “Motor Voter Act,” makes it easier for all Americans to exercise their fundamental right to vote. One
of the basic purposes of the Act is to increase the historically low registration rates of minorities and persons with disabilities that have resulted from discrimination. The Motor Voter Act requires all offices of State-funded programs that are primarily engaged in providing services to persons with disabilities to provide all program applicants with voter registration forms, to assist them in completing the forms, and to transmit completed forms to the appropriate State official.
For more information, questions, and complaints about matters related to the National Voter Registration Act, contact the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division:
1-800-253-3931 (Voice/TTY)
The Rehabilitation Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs conducted by Federal agencies, in programs receiving Federal financial assistance, in Federal employment, and in the employment practices of Federal contractors. The standards for determining employment discrimination under the Rehabilitation Act are the same as those used in title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Section 501 requires affirmative action and nondiscrimination in employment by Federal agencies of the executive branch. For more information, questions, and complaints about matters related to Section 501 regulations, contact the appropriate Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (EEOC) field office in your geographic area:
1-800-669-4000 (Voice)
1-800-669-6820 (TTY)
1-844-234-5122 (ASL Video Phone)
Equal Employment Opportunities Commission
Section 503 requires affirmative action and prohibits employment discrimination by Federal government contractors and subcontractors with contracts of more than $10,000.
For more information on section 503, contact U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs:
1-866-487-2365 (Voice) 1-877-889-5627 (TTY)
Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs
Section 504 states that “no qualified individual with a disability in the United States shall be excluded from, denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under” any program or activity that either receives Federal financial assistance or is conducted by any Executive agency or the United States Postal Service.
Each Federal agency has its own set of section 504 regulations that apply to its own programs. Agencies that provide Federal financial assistance also have section 504 regulations covering entities that receive Federal aid. Requirements common to these regulations include reasonable accommodation for employees with disabilities; program accessibility; effective communication with people who have hearing or vision disabilities; and accessible new construction and alterations. Each agency is responsible for enforcing its own regulations. Section 504 may also be enforced through private lawsuits. It is not necessary to file a complaint with a Federal agency or to receive a “right-to-sue” letter before going to court.
For information on section 504, contact U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division:
1-800-514-0301 (Voice)
1-800-514-0383 (TTY)
U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division
Section 508 establishes requirements for electronic and information technology developed, maintained, procured, or used by the Federal government. Section 508 requires Federal electronic and information technology to be accessible to people with disabilities, including employees and members of the public.
An accessible information technology system is one that can be operated in a vari- ety of ways and does not rely on a single sense or ability of the user. For example, a system that provides output only in visual format may not be accessible to people with visual impairments and a system that provides output only in audio format may not be accessible to people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Some individuals with disabilities may need accessibility-related software or peripheral devices in or- der to use systems that comply with Section 508. For more information on section 508, contact
202-501-4906 (Voice/TTY)
U.S. General Services Administration Section 508
1-800-872-2253 (Voice)
1-800-993-2822 (TTY)
The Social Security Agency (SSA) was created to promote the economic security of the people in the United States. The SSA manages the following:
Retirement: Social Security is part of the retirement plan for almost every American worker. It provides replacement income for qualified retirees and their families.
Disability: The Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program pays
benefits to you and certain family members if you are “insured,” meaning that you worked long enough – and recently enough - and paid Social Security taxes on your earnings. The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program pays benefits to disabled adults and children who have limited income and resources.
Medicare: Medicare is our country’s health insurance program for people age 65 or older. Certain people younger than age 65 can qualify for Medicare, too, including those with disabilities and those who have permanent kidney failure. Medicare helps with the cost of health care, but it does not cover all medical expenses or the cost of most long-term care. People have the option to have Original Medicare (Part A and Part B) coverage or a Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) policy could be purchased from a private insurance company.
Survivors Benefit: Social Security survivors benefits are paid to widows, widowers, and dependents of eligible workers. This benefit is particularly important for young families with children.
SSI: The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program pays benefits to disabled adults and children who have limited income and resources. SSI benefits also are payable to people 65 and older without disabilities who meet the financial limits. People who have worked long enough may also be able to receive Social Security disability or retirement benefits as well as SSI.
For more information, questions, and complaints about matters related to Social Security and/or Medicare, contact the Social Security Agency:
1- 800-772-1213 (Voice) 1- 800-772-1213 (TTY)
Section 255 and Section 251(a)(2) of the Communications Act of 1934, as
amended by the Telecommunications Act of 1996, require manufacturers of telecommunications equipment and providers of telecommunications services to ensure that such equipment and services are accessible to and usable by persons with disabilities, if readily achievable. These amendments ensure that people with disabilities will have access to a broad range of products and services such as telephones, cell phones, pagers, call-waiting, and operator services, which were often inaccessible to many users with disabilities.
For more information, questions, and complaints about matters related to the Telecommunications Act, contact the Federal Communications Commission, Disability Rights Office:
1-888-225-5322 (Voice) 1-888-835-5322 (TTY)
The Ticket to Work (TTW) and Self Sufficiency (formerly Work Incentives Improvement Act-WIIA) Program is a Federally-funded employment program designed to provide Social Security disability beneficiaries (i.e., individuals receiving Social Security Disability Insurance and/or Supplemental Security Income benefits based on disability) the choices, opportunities and support they need to enter the workforce and maintain employment with the goal of becoming economically self-supporting over time.
For more information, questions, and complaints about matters related to HIPAA regulations, contact the Ticket to Work Program at the Social Security Agency:
1-866-968-7842 (Voice)
1-866-833-2967 (TTY)
The Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act of 1984 generally requires polling places across the United States to be physically accessible to people with disabilities for federal elections. Where no accessible location is available to serve as a polling place, a political subdivision must provide an alternate means of casting a ballot on the day of the election. This law also requires states to make available registration and voting aids for disabled and elderly voters, including information by TTYs or similar devices.
For more information, questions, and complaints about matters related to the Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act, contact the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division:
1-800-253-3931 (Voice/TTY)
The Voting Rights Act was signed into law on August 6, 1965, by President Lyndon Johnson. It outlawed the discriminatory voting practices adopted in many southern states after the Civil War, including literacy tests as a prerequisite to voting.
This “act to enforce the fifteenth amendment to the Constitution” was signed into law 95 years after the amendment was ratified. In those years, African Americans in the South faced tremendous obstacles to voting, including poll taxes, literacy tests, and other bureaucratic restrictions to deny them the right to vote. They also risked harassment, intimidation, economic reprisals, and physical violence when they tried to register or vote. As a result, very few African Americans were registered voters, and they had very little, if any, political power, either locally or nationally.
For more information, questions, and complaints about matters related to the
Voting Rights Act, contact the U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division:
1-800-253-3931 (Voice/TTY)
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) is legislation that is designed to strengthen and improve our nation’s public workforce system and help get Americans, including youth and those with significant barriers to employment, into high-quality jobs and careers and help employers hire and retain skilled workers.
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), in coordination with federal partners the U.S. Departments of Education (ED) and Health and Human Services (HHS), collaborated to provide information and resources for States, local areas, non-profits and other grantees, and other stakeholders to assist with WIOA enactment.
For more information, questions, and complaints about matters related to WOIA, contact Employment and Training Administration of the Department of Labor:
1-202-693-3045 (Voice)
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP) administers four major disability compensation programs which provides to federal workers (or their dependents) and other specific groups who are injured at work or acquire an occupational disease – providing the injured:
Each state has their own workers compensation programs. Wisconsin was the first state to pass a comprehensive workers’ compensation law in 1911. The U.S. Department of Labor had enacted their Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (OWCP) in 1916. By 1949, all states had enacted a workers’ compensation program.
For more information, questions, and complaints about matters related to HIPAA regulations, contact the U.S. Department of Labor:
1-866-487-2365 (Voice)
1-877-889-5627 (TTY)
The U.S. Department of Justice is empowered to enforce the law and defend the interests of the United States according to the law; to ensure public safety against threats foreign and domestic; to provide federal leadership in preventing and controlling crime; to seek just punishment for those guilty of unlawful behavior; and to ensure fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans.
The United States Attorneys serve as the nation’s principal litigators under the direction of the Attorney General. There are 93 United States Attorney’s Offices stationed throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands. United States Attorneys are appointed by, and serve at the discretion of, the President of the United States, with the advice and consent of the United States Senate. One United States Attorney is assigned to each of the 94 judicial districts, with the exception of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands where a single United States Attorney serves in both districts. Each United States Attorney is the chief federal law enforcement officer of the United States within his or her particular jurisdiction.
United States Attorneys conduct most of the trial work in which the United States is a party. The United States Attorneys have three statutory responsibilities under Title 28, Section 547 of the United States Code:
and
Although the distribution of caseload varies between districts, each U.S. Attorney’s Office deals with every category of cases and handles a mixture of simple and complex litigation. Each United States Attorney exercises wide discretion in the use of his/her resources to further the priorities of the local jurisdictions and needs of their communities.
The relationship between the U.S. Department of Justice and the Offices of the U.S. State Attorneys is clarified at the U.S. DOJ’s FAQ page:
What is the difference between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the state prosecutor’s office?
The U.S. Attorney’s Office represents the United States in federal cases, meaning they arise from federal law created by Congress. These cases are heard in feder-
al courthouses throughout the country. State and local prosecutors (whether the district attorney, county/city prosecutor, or the state attorney general’s office), by contrast, represent the state for cases arising under state law, created by each state legislature. Occasionally, federal and state law may overlap in a certain area, allow- ing both federal and state prosecutors to pursue the case.
NOTE: The Department of Justice has no authority to intervene in matters of state law. The Department of Justice can assume jurisdiction only when there has been a violation of federal law. Accordingly, you may want to consider con- sulting with local law enforcement agencies, your state’s Attorney General’s Office, or the appropriate state or local officials. Administrative members of the court with jurisdiction over your matter or private counsel may also be useful in addressing your concerns.
Workers Compensation (1916)
Social Security and Medicare (1935 updated several times)
Civil Rights Act (1964 updated 1987 and 1991)
Medicaid (1965 updated several times)
ADEA (Age Discrimination in Employment Act) (1967)
Architectural Barriers Act (1968 and updated in 1999)
Fair Housing Act (1968 updated in 1988)
Voting Rights Act (1965 updated several times)
Rehabilitation Act (1973 updated 1993 and 1998)
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (1975 and updated in 1976, 1986, 1990, and 1997)
Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act (1984)
Air Carrier Access Act (1986 updated 2020)
Americans with Disabilities Act (1990 updated 2008)
National Voter Registration Act (1993)
FMLA (Family Medical Leave Act) (1993)
Telecommunications Act (1996)
HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) (1996)
Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (1997)
Workforce Investment Opportunity Act (1998 updated 2013)
TTW/WIIA (Ticket To Work/Work Incentives Improvements Act) (1999 updated 2017)
HAVA (Help America Vote Act) (2002)
GINA (Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act) (2008)
ACA (Affordable Care Act) (2010)
U.S. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board
Call:
1-800-872-2253 (voice)
1-800-993-2822 (TTY)
Website: https://www.access-board.gov
ABLEnow in cooperation with the IRS. Contact ABLEnow:
Call:
1-844-669-2253 (Voice/Relay)
Website: https://www.able-now.com
U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:
Call:
1-800-318-2596 (Voice)
1-855-889-4325 (TTY)
Website: https://www.healthcare.gov/glossary/affordable-care-act/
Aviation Consumer Protection Division, C-75 of the U.S. Department of Transportation:
Call:
1-800-778-4838 (voice)
1-800-455-9880 (TTY)
Website: https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/disability
Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (EEOC) field office:
Call:
1-800-669-4000 (Voice)
1-800-669-6820 (TTY)
1-844-234-5122 (ASL Video Phone)
Website: https://www.eeoc.gov
U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division:
Call:
1-800-514-0301 (Voice)
1-800-514-0383 (TTY)
Website: https://www.ada.gov
Federal Transit Administration, Office of Civil Rights:
Call:
1-888-446-4511 (Voice/Relay)
Website: https://www.transit.dot.gov/ADA
(Public Accommodations)
U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division:
Call:
1-800-514-0301 (Voice)
1-800-514-0383 (TTY)
Website: https://www.ada.gov
Federal Communications Commission, Disability Rights Office:
Call:
1-800-225-5322 (Voice)
1-888-835-5322 (TTY)
1-844-432-2275 (ASL Video Phone)
Website: https://www.fcc.gov/general/disability-rights-office
U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division: Call:
1-800-514-0301 (Voice)
1-800-514-0383 (TTY)
Website: https://www.ada.gov
ADA Program Assistance Coordinator:
Call:
1-800-949-4232 (Voice/TTY)
Website: https://adata.org
Call:
1-800-872-2253 (Voice)
1-800-993-2822 (TTY)
Website: https://www.access-board.gov
Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (EEOC) field office:
Call:
1-800-669-4000 (Voice)
1-800-669-6820 (TTY)
1-844-234-5122 (ASL Video Phone)
Website: https://www.eeoc.gov
U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division:
Call:
1-202-514-4609 (Voice)
1-202-514-0716 (TTY)
Website: https://www.justice.gov/crt
U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Special Litigation Section:
Call:
1-877-218-5228 (Voice/TTY)
Website: https://www.justice.gov/crt/civil-rights-institutionalized-persons
Federal Communications Commission, Disability Rights Office:
Call:
1-800-225-5322 (Voice)
1-888-835-5322 (TTY)
1-844-432-2275 (ASL Video Phone)
Website: https://www.fcc.gov/general/disability-rights-office
Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development:
Call:
1-800-669-9777 (Voice)
1-800-927-9275 (TTY)
Website:
https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp
Call:
1-888-341-7781 (Voice/TTY)
Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor:
Call:
1-866-487-9243 (Voice)
1-877-889-5627 (TTY)
Website: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/fmla
National Human Genome Research Institute of the National Institutes of Health:
Call:
1-301-402-0911 (Voice)
Website: https://www.genome.gov
U.S. Election Assistance Commission (EAC):
Call:
1-866-747-1471 (Voice)
Website: https://www.eac.gov
Office for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services:
Call:
1-800-368-1019 (Voice)
1-800-537-7697 (TTY)
Website: https://www.hhs.gov/hipaa
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services of the U.S. Department of Education:
Call:
1-202-245-7459 (Voice/TTY)
Website: www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/osep
Call:
1-877-267-2323 (Voice)
1-866-226-1819 (TTY)
Website: https://www.medicaid.gov
U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division:
Call:
1-800-253-3931 (Voice/TTY)
Website: https://www.usdoj.gov/crt/voting
Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (EEOC) field office:
Call:
1-800-669-4000 (Voice)
1-800-669-6820 (TTY)
1-844-234-5122 (ASL Video Phone)
Website: https://www.eeoc.gov
U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs:
Call:
1-866-487-2365 (Voice)
1-877-889-5627 (TTY)
Website: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/ofccp
U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division:
Call:
1-800-514-0301 (Voice)
1-800-514-0383 (TTY)
Website: https://www.ada.gov
U.S. General Services Administration, Office of Digital Management:
Call:
202-501-4906 (Voice/TTY)
Website: http://www.gsa.gov/section508 or https://section508.gov
Social Security Agency:
Call:
1-800-772-1213 (Voice)
1-800-772-1213 (TTY)
Website: https://www.ssa.gov
Federal Communications Commission, Disability Rights Office:
Call:
1-888-225-5322 (Voice)
1-888-835-5322 (TTY)
Website: https://www.fcc.gov/accessibility
Ticket to Work Program at the Social Security Agency:
Call:
1-866-968-7842 (Voice)
1-866-833-2967 (TTY)
Website: https://yourtickettowork.ssa.gov
Employment and Training Administration of the Department of Labor:
Call:
1-202-693-3045 (Voice)
Website: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/wioa
U.S. Department of Labor:
Call:
1-866-487-2365 (Voice)
1-877-889-5627 (TTY)
42 U.S.C. §§ 4151 et seq.
Implementing Regulation: 41 CFR Subpart 101-19.6
49 U.S.C. § 41705
Implementing Regulation: 14 CFR Part 382
42 U.S.C. §§ 12101 et seq.
Implementing Regulations:
29 CFR Parts 1630, 1602 (Title I, EEOC)
28 CFR Part 35 (Title II, Department of Justice)
49 CFR Parts 27, 37, 38 (Title II, III, Department of Transportation) 28 CFR Part 36 (Title III, Department of Justice)
47 CFR §§ 64.601 et seq. (Title IV, FCC)
P.L. 88–352; 78 Stat. 241
P.L. 90–284; 82 Stat. 73
42 U.S.C. §§ 1997 et seq.
42 U.S.C. §§ 3601 et seq.
Implementing Regulation: 24 CFR Parts 100 et seq.
20 U.S.C. §§ 1400 et seq.
Implementing Regulation: 34 CFR Part 300
42 U.S.C. §§ 1973gg et seq.
as amended 29 U.S.C. § 791
Implementing Regulation: 29 CFR § 1614.203
as amended 29 U.S.C. § 793
Implementing Regulation: 41 CFR Part 60-741
as amended 29 U.S.C. § 794
Over 20 Implementing Regulations for federally assisted programs, including: 34 CFR Part 104 (Department of Education)
45 CFR Part 84 (Department of Health and Human Services)
28 CFR §§ 42.501 et seq.
Over 95 Implementing Regulations for federally conducted programs, including: 28 CFR Part 39 (Department of Justice)
as amended 29 U.S.C. § 794d
47 U.S.C. §§ 255, 251(a)(2)
42 U.S.C. §§ 1973ee et seq.
P.L. 89–110; 79 Stat. 437
Amendments of 1970 P.L. 91–285; 84 Stat. 314 Amendments of 1975 P.L. 94–73; 89 Stat. 400 Amendments of 1982 P.L. 97–205; 96 Stat. 131
This guide is produced and maintained by the Rocky Mountain ADA Center as a project for the ADA National Network. This guide was developed under NIDILRR grant number 90DP0094-01-00. This guide is a resource and should not be considered legal advice.
