Disability Law Handbook

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This handbook is a broad overview of rights and obligations under federal disability laws. Individual state laws may impose more stringent obligations. This handbook is intended to inform rather than to advise, and the information provided is of a general nature. You should consult an attorney for advice about your particular situation.

Acknowledgements

The Disability and Business Technical Assistance Center (DBTAC) Southwest ADA Center is a program of ILRU (Independent Living Research Utilization) at TIRR Memorial Hermann in Houston, Texas. The DBTAC is funded by a grant (#H133A060091) from the Department of Education’s National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR). NIDRR is not an enforcement agency.

ILRU Southwest ADA Center TIRR Memorial Hermann Rehabilitation & Research

The Southwest ADA Center
2323 S. Shepherd – Suite 1000
Houston, Texas 77019
713.520.0232
1.800.949.4232
www.southwestada.org

The Southwest ADA Center is part of a national network of ten regional DBTAC: ADA Centers that provide up-to-date information, referrals, resources, and training on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The centers serve a variety of audiences, including businesses, employers, government entities, and individuals with disabilities. The centers are funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research under the U.S. Department of Education. Call 1-800-949-4232 v/tty to reach the center that serves your region or visit http://www.adata.org/.

This book is printed courtesy of the National Network of ADA Centers. There are a number of national training, technical assistance and resource development initiatives provided by the DBTACs. Additional information about these is available in the National DBTAC Initiatives section of this booklet.

The information in this book is intended solely as informal guidance and is neither a determination of your legal rights or responsibilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act or other laws, nor binding on any agency with enforcement responsibility under the ADA and other disability-related laws.

FOREWORD

Disability law is an area of law that overlaps with many other areas of law – including employment law, administrative law, elder law, consumer law, construction law, insurance law, school law, health law, social security law, and civil rights law. Individuals with disabilities are a protected class under civil rights laws, and it is the one protected class that anyone can join, usually involuntarily, at any point in their lives.

It is my hope that this book, which is a very broad brush look at disability law, will find its way into the hands of both individuals who have disabilities and entities that have obligations under various disability laws. This book is meant to provide basic information about disability rights, as well as resources for finding out more.

Jacquie Brennan
Attorney
Southwest ADA Center

Jacquie Brennan photo

Jacquie Brennan is an attorney with the Southwest ADA Center. A graduate of the University of Houston Law Center, her interest in disability law started with her nine children, the youngest five of whom are adopted and have different kinds of disabilities. Jacquie is also the Director of the Paralegal Certificate Program at the University of Houston. Jacquie is the President of the Board of Directors of two non-profit organizations -- Project DOCC of Houston and A Simple Thread. She also serves on the Bioethics Committee of Texas Children's Hospital, as well as the Ethics Committee of TIRR Memorial Hermann.

Disability Law Handbook

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

FOREWORD