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Civil Rights Policy

Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA)

Title I of the ADA prohibits private employers, state and local governments, employment agencies and labor unions from discriminating against qualified individuals with disabilities.
Title II of the ADA covers the activities, services, and programs of state or local government and any of its departments, agencies, or other instrumentalities.
Title III covers places of public accommodations and commercial facilities, and private entities that offer certain examinations and courses related to educational and occupational certification.
Title IV of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) covers telecommunications services for hearing-impaired and speech-impaired individuals. Access to telecommunications equipment and services is guaranteed by Section 255 of the Telecommunications Act. (See our Telecommunications Issues page.)

Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended

Section 501 requires affirmative action and nondiscrimination in employment by Federal agencies of the executive branch.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities in access to and participation in federally funded programs. Examples of federally funded programs include, but are not limited to: institutions of higher education, national parks and recreation facilities and almost any other kind of government program that receives federal funds. Elementary and secondary school students, parents, and teachers are also covered. The law also provides for what is called "reasonable accommodations." For a person with vision loss an example of an accommodation might be to provide materials in alternative formats such as braille or in an audio format, a person to read materials not available in these formats, or assistive technology such as a screen reader or magnification program so that they can use a computer. Federal agencies have administrative procedures to provide for the filing of complaints based on discrimination and a failure to accommodate. These are generally handled through the same offices which handle equal employment opportunity complaints or other personnel-related actions. To file a complaint under Section 504, contact the Federal agency providing the funds for the program or service.