The Americans with Disabilities Act and Title I

Kevin Briggs received his undergraduate degree in political
science from the University of Maryland (graduating with honors).
He then went on to Virginia Tech, where he received his master's
degree, also in political science. Kevin is currently completing
up a second Masters degree in economics from the University of
London.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has been
hailed as a landmark piece of civil rights
legislation and a boon to people with disabilities in
the United States. Title I of the ADA specifically
addresses employment discrimination toward persons
with disabilities. Congressional proponents of the
ADA anticipated that the statute would bring about a
reversal of the high unemployment numbers among the
disabled. This work examines the unemployment data
for persons with disabilities 10 years following
enactment of the ADA. It shows that the ADA has not
reversed unemployment trends among persons with
disabilities. This book compares the expectations of
the bill's sponsors and/or advocates for improvements
in employment opportunities for working aged adults
with disabilities, provided for by Title I of the
ADA, with the actual outcomes. This volume
highlights some the principal problems inherent with
the law itself, problems that may be contributing to
the ADA's inability to reverse high unemployment
numbers among the disabled. It also addresses
concerns within the US business community regarding
implementation of the law.