Human Resource Blog

ADA in Rhode Island

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Does the ADA affect us in Rhode Island?

The Americans with Disabilities Act is a federal Act that impacts employees and employers in states across the country, including those in the state of Rhode Island. The Act is in place in order to ensure that when an employee has a disability, the employer will not discriminate against him or her for reasons that are directly related to the disability.

Not all employees and employers will be covered by the ADA. In fact, for an employee to be covered, the employee needs to not only work for an employer that is also covered, but the employee needs to have a record of having a disability. There are a wide variety of disabilities that qualify for coverage under the Act, including both physical and mental disabilities.

An example of a physical disability could be a visual impairment or a missing limb. An example of a mental disability could be an anxiety disorder, depression, or an addiction.

When an employee has a disability, the employee should have a record of it in order to ensure coverage. The employer will then have to make reasonable accommodations for the employee to suit the disability. For example, if an employee has a visual impairment and has a hard time viewing a computer monitor, the employer should provide the employee with a magnified computer monitor so that the employee can see the screen.

Again, not all employers will be covered by the ADA. In order for an employer to be covered, the employer needs to have at least 15 employees employed for a year.

When an employer is covered, the employer may not take the disability into consideration during any employment-related period, such as hiring, training, compensation, promotion or termination. Also, the employer may need to prove his or her reasoning for a particular employment-related decision if ever questioned. CB