The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA)

Fear, rage, courage, discrimination. These are facts of everyday life for many Americans with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), has made working, traveling, and communicating easier for many individuals. But what recourse do individuals have when enforcement of the law is ambiguous or virtually nonexistent? And how will its changing definition affect individuals' lives-as well as their legal actions-in the future? What is life like in post-ADA America? Voices from the Edge seeks to challenge the mindset of those who would deny equal protection to the disabled, while providing informative analysis of the intent and application of the ADA for those who wish to learn more about disability rights. Giving voice to the many types of discrimination the disabled face - at a small Southern College, in the Library of Congress, on a New York City sidewalk - while illustrating the personal stakes underlying legal disputes over the ADA, this collection offers unparalleled insight into the lives behind the law. Contributors: Joan Aleshire on disability and the eye of the beholder. Achim Nowak on disclosing HIV. C.G.K. Atkins on being an academic liability. Stephen Kuusisto on hope without the tenure lifeboat. Leonard Kriegel on wheelchairs vs. NYC sidewalks. John Hockenberry on trying one's luck at public transit. Joan Tollifson on a license to drive disabled. Shawn Casey O'Brien on the blue beacon of accessibility. Jean Stewart on sign language in the ER. Ruth O'Brien on everything you wanted to know about the ADA.

The history of federal regulation in the United States is such that fears in the human resource management community with regard to the Americans with Disabilities Act are hardly irrational. Especially disconcerting is the act's scope, and, to make matters worse, its provisions are often vague and even obscure. Writing from the view point of human resource professionals. Veres, Sims, and their contributors look closely at some of the major issues raised by the act's passage, then forecast what other issues will be in the future. In doing so they provide practical advice on how to comply with the act in day-to-day situations and on crucial management topics. Veres, Sims, and their contributors examine the act's provisions and the ways in which it demands that managers scrutinize and reassess their essential functions. Compliance issues and how to avoid running afoul of the act's provisions are examined next, followed by a discussion of how the act applies to recruiting, testing, and employee selection. The performance appraisal process and how non-impaired employees will respond to accommodations required for their impaired colleagues is carefully laid out, and the interaction of the Equal Pay Act and the ADA is examined. Training needs in an ADA context and other problems are also treated, with special focus on ways in which employee discontent can be minimized as such problems are met and solved. A valuable guide and resource for human resource professionals and their academic colleagues.

A veteran labor and employment attorney offers a comprehensive and accessible resource for anyone interested in workplace law. Covey reveals what every business person needs to know about employment law and how to apply it.

Dr. Barrett offers a two-pronged approach to testing procedures in employee selection. First he describes tests that are most effective in identifying qualified job candidates. Second, he shows how to use them in ways that will produce the desired results while minimizing an adverse impact on minorities, women, or older and disabled workers. Since Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and related laws went into effect, many myths have sprung up with regard to what employers can and cannot do when they hire and promote -- and Barrett explains them here. In doing so, he provides tested, legally sanctioned methods that will not only improve the quality of a company's workforce, but also instill the confidence needed to manage the human resource function ethically and equitably. This is a necessary resource for human resource professionals and in some cases, their attorneys as well.

The editor of this work argues that the contemporary American political scene is increasingly driven by populist demands. This is the only book on American Politics which outlines this trend. Using primary sources and analyses from government and the media, the book examines the many aspects from all points of the political spectrum, of populism. It is divided into three sections, covering economic, cultural, and governmental populism. Each section contains unique stories, told through informative reporting, reasoned analysis, and passionate oratory. Freed from the traditional ideological conceptions of American politics, this work allows the reader to understand the diverse nature of contemporary populism.

"Burke drills deep into America's unique culture of litigation and is rewarded with a powerful insight: it is not the public or even lawyers that are so darn litigious, but American law itself. This meticulous, dispassionate book stands not only to advance the debate but--I hope--to reshape it."--Jonathan Rauch, author of "Government's End: Why Washington Stopped Working

""Lawyers, Lawsuits, and Legal Rights is a fascinating study of the American penchant for public policies that rely on lawsuits to get things done. Burke's analysis is insightful and original. This book compellingly shows that litigious policies have deep roots in our Constitution, culture, and politics."--Charles Epp, author of "The Rights Revolution: Lawyers, Activists, and Supreme Courts in Comparative Perspective

"Burke's authoritative book demonstrates that the highly litigious American system is not an isolated anomaly but in fact fits in with deeply-rooted elements of American political culture. Where citizens of other countries,rely on expert or bureaucratic judgment to resolve disputes, Americans turn to the courts. Equally novel and compelling, "Lawyers, Lawsuits, and Legal Rights marshals an impressive set of evidence and delivers a refreshingly well-written look at the state of American litigation."--Frank R. Baumgartner, co-author of "Agendas and Instability in American Politics

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, organizations that fail to provide reasonable accommodations to employees with mental disabilities may be subject to penalties and punitive damages. The Act does not, however, provide useful guidelines to help organizations comply--a gap that Dr. Fielder's book now fills. This manual shows that compliance is not difficult or expensive. In clear, concise language, it acquaints management with mental diagnoses, impairments, disabilities, the myths of mental illness and its affect on job performance, and provides samples of workplace accommodations and compliance plans. Practical and readable, the book is intended for management of organizations with 15 or more employees, their human resource staffs and employee assistance professionals, and legal counsel.