Americans with 

Disabilities Act

A Guide for People with 

Disabilities Seeking 

Employment
2 Protecting People and the Environment

Americans with Disabilities Act 

A Guide for People with 

Disabilities Seeking 

Employment

Social Security Administration

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division 

October 2000 

There are more opportunities 

now than ever before for people 

who are receiving SSDI and SSI 

benefits to learn job skills and find 

permanent employment. 

If you are seeking a job or are new to the workforce, 

you should become familiar with the Americans with 

Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), a Federal civil rights 

law designed to prevent discrimination and enable 

individuals with disabilities to participate fully in all 

aspects of society. One fundamental principle of the 

ADA is that individuals with disabilities who want 

to work and are qualified to work must have an equal 

opportunity to work. This brochure answers questions 

you may have about your employment rights under the 

ADA. 
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How do I know if I am protected 

by the ADA?

To be protected, you must be a qualified individual 

with a disability. This means that you must have a 

disability as defined by the ADA. Under the ADA, 

you have a disability if you have a physical or mental 

impairment that substantially limits a major life 

activity such as hearing, seeing, speaking, thinking, 

walking, breathing, or performing manual tasks. You 

also must be able to do the job you want or were hired 

to do, with or without reasonable accommodation. 

What are my rights under the 

ADA?

The ADA protects you from discrimination in all 

employment practices, including: job application 

procedures, hiring, firing, training, pay, promotion, 

benefits, and leave. You also have a right to be free 

from harassment because of your disability, and an 

employer may not fire or discipline you for asserting 

your rights under the ADA. Most importantly, you 

have a right to request a reasonable accommodation for 

the hiring process and on the job. 

What is a “reasonable 

accommodation”?

A reasonable accommodation is any change or 

adjustment to a job, the work environment, or the 

way things usually are done that would allow you to 

apply for a job, perform job functions, or enjoy equal 

access to benefits available to other individuals in the 

workplace. There are many types of things that may 

help people with disabilities work successfully. Some 

of the most common types of accommodations include:

• physical changes, such as installing a ramp or 

modifying a workspace or restroom;
4 Protecting People and the Environment

• sign language interpreters for people who are deaf 

or readers for people who are blind;

• providing a quieter workspace or making other 

changes to reduce noisy distractions for someone 

with a mental disability;

• training and other written materials in an 

accessible format, such as in Braille, on audio 

tape, or on computer disk;

• TTYs for use with telephones by people who 

are deaf, and hardware and software that make 

computers accessible to people with vision 

impairments or who have difficulty using their 

hands; and

• time off for someone who needs treatment for a 

disability. 

What should I do if I think 

I might need a reasonable 

accommodation?

If you think you might need an accommodation for the 

application process or on the job, you have to request 

one. You may request a reasonable accommodation at 

any time during the application process or any time 

before or after you start working.

How do I request a reasonable 

accommodation?

You simply must let your employer know that you need 

an adjustment or change because of your disability. 

You do not need to complete any special forms or use 

technical language to do this. For example, if you use a 

wheelchair and it does not fit under your desk at work, 

you should tell your supervisor. This is a request for a 

reasonable accommodation. A doctor’s note requesting 

time off due to a disability or stating that you can 
U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 5

work with certain restrictions is also a request for a 

reasonable accommodation.

What happens after I make 

a request for a reasonable 

accommodation?

Once you have made a request for a reasonable 

accommodation, the employer should discuss available 

options with you. If you have a disability that is not 

obvious, the employer may request documentation 

from you demonstrating that you have a disability and 

explaining why you need a reasonable accommodation. 

You and the employer should work together to 

determine an appropriate accommodation.

What should I do if I think my 

ADA rights have been violated?

You should contact the nearest office of the Equal 

Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). 

Someone will help you determine whether you should 

file a charge of discrimination. Charges may be filed 

with the EEOC in person, by mail, or by telephone.

There are strict time frames for filing charges of 

employment discrimination. In most states, you have 

300 days from the time the alleged discrimination 

occurred to file a charge, but in some states you may 

have only 180 days. The EEOC field office nearest 

you can tell you which time period applies to you. 

However, you should file a charge as soon as possible 

after you believe the discrimination occurred.

To contact the EEOC, look in your telephone directory 

under U.S. Government or call

1-800-669-4000 (voice) or 1-800-669-6820 (TTY).
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Is there any cost to file a charge?

No. There is no cost to file a charge.

Do I need a lawyer to file a charge?

No. You may file a charge on your own without a 

lawyer, though some people do choose to retain 

one. Your local bar association may be able to help 

you locate a lawyer, and many communities have 

organizations that can provide free legal services or 

legal services at a reduced rate to people who qualify 

for them.

What happens after I file a charge 

with the EEOC?

• First, the EEOC notifies your employer that a 

charge has been filed.

• In some instances, the EEOC will suggest 

mediation as a way of resolving the charge. 

Mediation is a process by which an impartial party 

tries to help people resolve a dispute. Mediation is 

voluntary, free, and completely confidential.

• If a charge is not referred to mediation or if 

mediation is unsuccessful, and the EEOC 

determines that a violation has not occurred, your 

charge will be dismissed and you will be sent 

a letter telling you that you may file your own 

lawsuit.

• If the EEOC concludes that you were 

discriminated against, it will attempt to settle the 

claim informally. If this is unsuccessful, the EEOC 

will decide whether to bring a lawsuit or issue you 

a letter giving you the right to file a lawsuit on 

your own.
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For more information about work support, contact the 

Social Security Administration at:

1-800-772-1213 (voice)

1-800-325-0778 (TTY

www.ssa.gov/work

For more information about the ADA, contact the 

Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) 

and the Department of Justice (DOJ) at:

EEOC

1-800-669-4000 (voice)

1-800-669-6820 (TTY)

www.eeoc.gov

DOJ

1-800-514-0301 (voice)

1-800-514-0383 (TTY)

www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada

For free information about many types of reasonable 

accommodations, contact the

Job Accommodation Network at:

1-800-526-7234 (voice/TTY)

http://janweb.icdi.wvu.edu/
NUREG/BR-0462

September 2009