An AIS client who is an attorney kindly sent us the following text to explain the Americans with Disabilities Act and how it pertains to people who stutter.

What is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?

The ADA applies to private employers with 15 or more employees, state and local governments, employment agencies, and labor unions.  In short, the ADA prohibits discrimination by these entities against qualified individuals, on the basis of disability, in job application procedures, hiring, firing, advancement, compensation, training, and other terms and conditions of employment.

As a stutterer, why should I be interested in the ADA?

Recent amendments have broadened the scope of the ADA.  If there was any doubt that stuttering was a disability under the ADA, these amendments may change that.  The statutory language is encouraging, although these amendments are so new that they have not yet been tested in the courts.
These amendments became effective on January 1, 2009.  While it is unclear whether these amendments would be retroactively applied to claims concerning conduct that occurred before that date, it is unlikely. (more…)