On January 29, The House Committee on Education and Labor held a hearing on HR 3915, the Americans with Disabilities Restoration Act of 2007. NCD submitted written testimony for the record on this proposed legislation.
It is more important than ever that Congress restore the ADA to its original congressional intent, reports the organization. The NCD contends that people with disabilities—such as hearing loss, epilepsy, depression, diabetes, cancer, and multiple sclerosis—are experiencing discrimination in the workplace, with no recourse, because courts must follow Supreme Court precedent that excludes them from ADA protections.
According to NCD, Congress intended the ADA to provide a comprehensive prohibition against disability-based discrimination. Regrettably, the Supreme Court has narrowed the ADA definition of "disability" such that people with real disabilities can be discriminated against by employers, who argue the victim cannot pursue and ADA discrimination claim because the person does not have a disability. Protection from disability discrimination is a civil right, not a social service, and should apply to anyone who is discriminated against because of a disability, says the organization.
Source: National Council on Disability
