The Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act protects workers who are mentally retarded, have cerebral palsy, epilepsy, autism, or dyslexia resulting from these conditions. The Administration for Developmental Disabilities of the Department of Health and Human Services handles complaints in this area. See Appendix A for information on how to contact this agency. In this context, property includes an already acquired job. The equal protection clause prohibits the employer from making unjustified or unreasonable distinctions which hinder certain groups of people.
All states have laws that sustain the rights of employees with disabilities.
State and local laws differ in their definition of persons with disabilities, facilities covered by access laws, standards applied to determine compliance with certain laws, exemptions, enforcement agencies, and penalties for violations. Each state has an agency that is responsible for defending the rights of persons with disabilities. These agencies are most familiar with state laws and should be contacted to confirm whether employers are violating a particular law. Each state's Governor's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities also can provide listings of those agencies that work with people with disabilities. Appendix F lists these governor's committees.