Ask About the ADA Podcast

Are there rules for service animal handlers under the Americans with Disabilities Act? Are automatic doors always required? This edition of Ask About the ADA covers two commonly asked questions about service animals and physical accessibility. For a transcript of today's episode, please visit the Ask About the ADA podcast feed on BuzzSprout. NortheastADA.org

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, employees with disabilities are entitled to reasonable accommodations in the workplace— but what happens when an accommodation is unreasonable ? Not every request is approved, so this edition of Ask About the ADA covers some questions about what makes an accommodation reasonable. For a transcript of today's episode, please visit the Ask About the ADA...

If a company has daily production quotas, do employees with disabilities need to meet the same standards as other employees? Can job applications ask about a candidate's disability? This edition of Ask About the ADA answers a couple of tough questions about employment under Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act. For a transcript of today's episode, please visit the Ask About the...

Most service animals under the Americans with Disabilities Act are dogs, but the law allows one exception: miniature horses. Jessica Wellman trains miniature horses as service animals, and she has tails to tell about her own service mini horse, Honey.   In this edition of Ask About the ADA, the Northeast ADA Center interviews Jessica about how miniature horses serve people with disabilities, how t...

Does an employer have to accommodate an employee who needs an accommodation in order to better support a family member with a disability? Does a college student have to pay for a standard meal plan if they have requested an exemption? On this week's addition of Ask About the ADA, we explore these questions that we have received at the Northeast ADA's technical assistance telephone line....

If you had a disability in the past, do you qualify for Americans with Disabilities Act protections now? What kind of information do you need to provide to an employer to demonstrate a record of a disability or an ongoing disability? This edition of Ask About the ADA is about some of the ways people document disabilities with their employers, whether or not the disability is ongoing. For a transcr...

Workplace accommodations for employees with disabilities can be hard to navigate normally, and COVID-19 has certainly added complications. Are employers responsible for providing personal assistance services to employees with disabilities? How should employers handle job coaches who count toward a business's reduced-density requirements? This edition of Ask About the ADA clarifies some of the...

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, employees with disabilities are entitled to request reasonable accommodations at work, which can help them be more effective at their jobs. However, when requesting accommodations, obstacles and resistance may arise from employers who might not understand the ADA. How should employees advocate for themselves? This edition of Ask About the ADA is about sel...

Mental health is highly stigmatized, but many mental health conditions qualify as disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act. People with psychiatric conditions often have a right to reasonable accommodations in the workplace, just like people with more visible disabilities. What kind of accommodations could help employees with mental health conditions? This edition of Ask About the AD...

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to train a mobility guide dog? In this Ask About the ADA interview, Ben Cawley, an instructor for Guiding Eyes for the Blind, explains how his organization trains guide dogs and pairs them with compatible handlers. What kind of tasks can these dogs help accomplish? What breeds make good guide dogs? How long is their work life? Listen to the full intervi...

"The ADA does require us as people with disabilities and as advocates to be bringing these cases. I always tell people there's no "ADA police" that are going around and citing violations-- it is really incumbent upon us as a community to be bringing these cases, to be making good law, to be pushing the envelope, to be educating and bringing awareness to these issues." Rach...

October is National Disability Employment Awareness Month, a celebration of employees with disabilities and the policies that help them engage in the workforce. Why celebrate National Disability Employment Awareness Month? On this edition of Ask About the ADA, we explore the evolution of this special month and ways you can promote equal opportunity in your workplace. For a transcript of today&apos...

Can employers force employees with disabilities to return to in-person work? Are schools required to provide students with virtual learning options? Can people with disabilities get accommodations under vaccine mandates?  In this edition of Ask About the ADA, we turn to the Northeast ADA Center's Technical Assistance staff with tough questions about Americans with Disabilities Act rules in th...

Many conversations about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) revolve around  the employment, accommodations, and accessibility provisions outlined in Titles I, II, & III. But what is included in Titles IV & V of the law? This edition of Ask About the ADA includes a webinar archive explaining the wide variety of issues covered in Titles IV & V. For a transcript of today's epi...

Many conversations about the Americans with Disabilities Act center on the accessibility of public accommodations. But what are public accommodations? This edition of Ask About the ADA features an excerpt from the Northeast ADA Center's webinar about Title III of the law, which describes how public facilities should be made accessible for people with disabilities. For a transcript of today&ap...

What does the Americans with Disabilities Act require of state and local governments? Do services like public transportation or rec center classes have to be accessible?  In this clip of the ADA 101.3 State and Local Governments webinar, Joe Zesski and Jennifer Perry of the Northeast ADA Center talk about Title II of the law, which requires equal access for all state and local government services....

Can businesses charge for accessible parking? Can facilities put time limits on accessible parking spaces? This edition of Ask About the ADA is about some commonly asked questions about the Title II requirement of equal access in parking. For a transcript of today's episode, please visit the Ask About the ADA podcast feed on BuzzSprout. Read about parking fees for accessible spaces or the rul...

The religious exemption under the Americans with Disabilities Act can be confusing. Do churches have to offer employment accommodations? What about hospitals operated by religious organizations-- do they need to be accessible or offer accommodations? This edition of Ask About the ADA is all about the obligations of religious organizations. For a transcript of today's episode, please visit the...

Does the Americans with Disabilities Act cover people with mental illnesses? How has COVID-19 impacted people with mental illnesses, particularly those in virtual learning settings? How should college students ask for accommodations on campus? Where can students go for mental health resources?  This edition of Ask About the ADA features an interview with Brittany Stone, a lecturer in the Departmen...

When a doctor treats a deaf patient, who is responsible for effective communication? Does the medical provide have to pay for the interpreter?  Can doctors ask patients to bring their own interpreters? This edition of Ask About the ADA is about people with disabilities' rights to effective communication in medical settings. For a transcript of today's episode, please visit the Ask About...

Are service animals allowed in disaster shelters? Can you put your service animal in a shopping cart, or on a restaurant seat? This edition of Ask About the ADA is about some of the places service animals CAN and CANNOT go. For a transcript of today's episode, please visit the Ask About the ADA podcast feed on BuzzSprout. Read more about service animals in disaster shelters and service animal...

Are there state laws that protect people with disabilities? How is the Americans with Disabilities Act enforced? Can I submit anonymous complaints? This edition of Ask About the ADA explains some of the legal mechanisms that protect the rights of people with disabilities. For a transcript of today's episode, please visit the Ask About the ADA podcast feed on BuzzSprout. Read more about state...

In this special edition of Ask About the ADA, we visit with three members of Movimiento para el Alcance de Vida Independiente, or MAVI, the Northeast ADA Center's affiliate center serving people with disabilities in Puerto Rico.  Listen to Mildred Gomez, Yessica Guardiola, and Nelly Correa describe their roles in addressing the unique challenges of life with a disability in PR— from its uniqu...

Many people are familiar with rules for accessible parking in lots, but are there standards for street parking under the Americans with Disabilities Act? What happens when a city service, like trash disposal, is inaccessible? This edition of Ask About the ADA is about accessible street parking and determining when a city becomes responsible for making an accommodation in their service. For a trans...

What type of mobility aids should be allowed at an outdoor concert? Can campers request electricity as a disability accommodation on a campground? This edition of Ask About the ADA is all about accommodation obligations at outdoor event spaces. For a transcript of today's episode, please visit the Ask About the ADA podcast feed on BuzzSprout. Read more frequently asked Americans with Disabili...