The Rights of Employees with Disabilities: Supreme Court Interpretations of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Their Implications for Human Resource Management

The Americans With Disabilites Act (ADA) of 1990 provides broad protection to an estimated 43 million Americans against discrimination in many facets of their lives. Title I of the Act prohibits discrimination in employment. Title III of the Act, which prohibits discrimination in public accommodation, has also impacted the employment relationship. Eight years after the passage of the Act, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its first ruling under the ADA. Two subsequent decisions have been rendered that further interpret the statute and the Court has repeatedly denied to review cases that deal with another key interpretation of the ADA. This paper analyzes these cases and decisions and their implications for management practices.