A diagram helping Oklahoma businesses navigate the Americans with Disabilities Act

The Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) is a federal employment law focused on preventing hiring and workplace discrimination against employees with disabilities.  

The ADA applies to businesses with 15 or more employees.  That means any Oklahoma employer with 15 or employees needs to be aware of and in compliance with the ADA.

While a well-intended and often effective law, the ADA can be difficult for employers to navigate.  The definition of a “disability” is broad and working with a disabled individual to allow them to do their job often taxes business resources.  Nonetheless, businesses must comply with the ADA, and for this reason, I put together the diagram below to assist Oklahoma employers in understanding the ADA and complying with it.

This diagram is not intended to be used as a checklist for either complying with the ADA or determining that an employee with a disability can be terminated.  Instead, this diagram is intended to be a general guide for employers dealing with disability issues.  If you have specific questions about an employee or need assistance, do not rely on this diagram to make a decision, contact an attorney.

 

Posted by Shawn Roberts

On this blog, I write about and try to answer practical Oklahoma legal questions. My focus and most experience is in estate planning and business issues including Oklahoma non-compete law. I make a living as an attorney in the law firm I founded, Shawn J. Roberts, P.C. in Oklahoma City. I live in Edmond with my wife Amy and my two children, Sam (19) and David (11). We live precisely in the path of where the "wind comes sweeping down the plains."