The Americans with Disabilities Act is an important piece of legislation which allows people of all physical and mental abilities to have the same opportunities and chances. However, like most pieces of major legislation, it is complicated and can be difficult to understand what you need to do to be in compliance. Once you understand how to keep your company accessible, it becomes second nature to maintain it.

Understanding the Importance of the ADA

The goal of the ADA is to provide access to public goods, buildings, and transportation options as well as businesses. One of the most common examples of this is making public buildings wheelchair accessible. “Reasonable accommodations” are expected for those with certain handicaps at businesses that employ more than 15 people or ones that provide goods and/or services to the public.

As many as 1 in 5 American adults live with some form of disability. That’s a large portion of the population and it is therefore vital for the prosperity of your business to be accessible to those people. The accommodations you provide help these people function more successfully and efficiently.

Requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act

The Americans with Disabilities Act is broken down into Titles which have different requirements for different entities. The main one that small to mid-sized businesses need to be concerned with are Titles I and III. Each protects the rights of individuals when dealing with businesses but in different scenarios.

Title I

Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act is relevant to qualified employers with 15 or more employees. Businesses in this category must provide equal employment opportunities to those with disabilities. Except in very specific circumstances, disabled people but have the same chances for employment as non-disabled people.

Title III

Title III of the ADA discusses provisions that public businesses must make in order to facilitate the patronage of those with physical and mental handicaps. This includes certain guidelines in the construction of new buildings as well as making accommodations when necessary. For example, this could mean allowing a service animal to enter a business where animals are normally prohibited.

How to Keep Your Company Accessible

There are many proactive steps you can take right now to ensure that your business maintains proper accessibility to those dealing with a handicap. Many of these involve common sense and basic decency but knowing what steps to take can never hurt. Steps you can take to keep your business accessible include:

Automatic doors and ramp access points
Provide clear and spacious hallways
Handicap accessible restrooms

Even on your website you can add alternative text to images so that vision impaired people using screen reader software can still use your website effectively. When you and your employees know how to keep your company accessible, you make everyone feel more welcome. To learn more about handicap accessibility and employee training, contact Training & eTracking Solutions today!