labor lawAdivision of labor law center

On September 23, 2009, the EEOC published proposed rules regarding disabilities in the Federal Register.

These new rules change the definition of a disability under the ADAAA, the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, which went into effect on January 1, 2009. That law requires the EEOC to interpret the term “disability” broadly.

The law returns the meaning to disability to that enforced by the EEOC in 1990 soon after the ADA was passed. Over time, the courts have continually eroded the definition of disability under the law, requiring more proof of more severe impairments.

Some of the notable changes that employers need to be aware of:

An impairment that substantially limits a major bodily function is sufficient to constitute a disability. Under the old regulations, a condition like cancer or AIDS did not in and of itself, constitute an impairment. The employee had to show that he or she was limited in major life functions by the condition. Under the new regulations, such a condition in and of itself is a disability.

Mitigating measures must be disregarded. (more…)

Recent changes to Equal Employment Opportunity Commission or  EEOC regulations, which will go into effect on January 1, 2009, update the definition of a disability under the law. It’s vital for every employer to be aware of these changes.

Originally, the EEOC took a very broad view of the term “disability” under the ADA, or Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Since that time, a number of Supreme Court decisions have narrowed the definition of a disability considerably.

It’s important to understand the history of these regulations. In one of the most obvious cases, the Supreme Court ruled that an employee was considered not to have a disability if the employee, using a mitigating measure, (more…)